His Death, Her Birth
by xXMidori-ChanXx
Summary: Stupid humans,", Hiei grumbled, soft, but audible enough for his fellow youkais to hear.
1. Reincarnation?

xXMidori-ChanXx: Hi all! ^^" I'm putting all my stories on hiatus for a while untill a few ppl review...Anyway this story was thought of by me, but not written by me, it was written by a frien. Her name is Naomi Mao and she lives in Singapore...Oh well enjoy!  
  
Naomi-Chan: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho..tsk neither does Midori-Chan...  
  
Reincarnation Chapter One  
  
"Stupid ningenss,", Hiei grumbled, soft, but audible enough for his fellow youkais to hear. The four youkai beside Hiei kept quiet, though their faces showed that they too, did not enjoy the job Hiei was given. Ever since Hiei stuck around with Mukuro, this was the eleventh time he was sent out to guide lost humans who wandered into Makai back to Ningenkai in three years.  
  
Mukuro had sent the small group of youkais to find the human. Hiei could feel that the human's reiki was pretty weak. Night was falling fast in Makai, which meant danger. Hiei felt a chill down his spine, as his Jagan glowed faintly and faded as soon as it lit up, but he proceeded to head  
  
towards the destination—a typical Makai forest, dangerous and full of unknowns. "Which part of Makai isn't?", Hiei thought to himself with a snort. The small group trudged through the muddy, shallow swamp and found themselves in the middle of a big clump of scattered trees. Hiei suggested, "The human is around here somewhere, so let's split up.". The other youkai agreed on the spot and they headed out in different directions. Hiei's jagan glowed again, this time pulling Hiei towards the sound of a stream. A girl was lying unconscious by the small clear stream. Her sea-green hair was tied up in a pigtail, and her face was turned away from Hiei. The girl was wearing a light blue kimono, but it did not puzzle Hiei, as there was some kind of festival going on in Ningenkai, which he never bothered to find out. He stepped closer to the limp figure cautiously and was shocked by what he saw. "Yukina? What the hell are you doing here?" His eyes widened as his face showed utter surprise. He soon got over it and quickly looked for signs of injuries. Satisfied that she was alive and not badly hurt, he picked her up gently and carried her in his arms. "And I thought you were with that idiot Kuwabara the whole time," he muttered some inaudible curses as he headed in the opposite direction, towards the castle. As he walked, a silence spread throughout the forest. It was eerie and dark, and Hiei felt uneasy, even though this was normal in Makai. A youkai appeared in front of him suddenly, and Hiei's reflexes kicked in, tensed up for a fight until he saw a familiar face.  
  
"Looks like you found the human, Hiei. Quite pretty, I must say, this human girl," the youkai commented.  
  
Hiei relaxed a bit as he glared at the youkai and threatened, "Touch one hair of hers and I'll kill you." The youkai backed a little at the sudden  
  
temper in Hiei and decided to stay quiet. Suddenly, a shadow moved past them, making the leaves rustle a bit. Before Hiei knew it, his partner was lying still on the brown, rocky ground. Hiei set Yukina down roughly under an old oak tree and stood protectively in front of her as he drew his sword from its sheath. "Come out, whoever you are!" Hiei said aloud, shattering the silence of the forest. Then, he saw something flit through the trees and landed in front of Hiei gracefully. Hiei could feel the youkai's strong youki, and it belonged to an S-class youkai. Hiei felt cold sweat drip down his neck as he sensed the strong youki. The youkai took of her cape and glared at Hiei in the same way as Hiei did. She lashed out quickly and Hiei dodged it. He  
  
knew he had a upperhand in speed as he dodged a few more slashes from the female youkai. Hiei decided that he should try and change the location as the thought of Yukina's safety crossed his mind. As he moved, the youkai threw a ball of energy at him. The ball of energy shone brightly in the dark and missed Hiei, barely. He concentrated on his sword for a while and fire of the Makai wrapped round the blade, presenting it as a more deadly weapon. The fight went on for some time, but Hiei was not able to change the location. New cuts appear every now and then as they battled. The youkai does not seemed tired despite her injuries, and concentrated once more. Another ball of light illuminated in her hands once more, only this time, it was a light violet and Hiei could feel it's strength. The youkai threw it at Hiei and this time, it hit Hiei on his shoulder as he dodged, for it was too fast, faster than him. The violet sphere of light hit the oak branch and there was an explosion.  
  
"Yukina!" Hiei shouted mentally as he remembered that Yukina was under that tree. The loose branch was directly above her and crashed downwards. Hiei dived blindly at Yukina through the confusion caused by the explosion, not caring for anything else. His scarf was stained with blood from his wound as he gritted his teeth in pain. His arms pushed Yukina out of the way of the falling branch. Unfortunately, he was a  
  
second too slow due to the confusion and his ankle became trapped under the branch that fell. He winced in pain as he struggled to get out, like a mouse caught in a trap by its tail. The youkai seized the chance and buried her blade deep into Hiei's heart. Hiei gasped as he felt sudden pain. Yukina was slowly waking now and the youkai pulled out her sword and headed to Yukina. "NOOO!" Hiei shouted as he grimaced in pain. "ENSATSU KOKURYUHA!"  
  
A black dragon uncoiled around his arm and burned through the bandages by sheer willpower and lashed out at the youkai. Caught unawares, she was instantly swallowed by the black fire of Makai. Hiei crawled over to Yukina to make sure she was all right, but he knew his wound was fatal and he would not live. Yukina sat up slowly and screamed, but no sound came out of her mouth, for she was too shocked. "Hiei-kun!" Yukina gasped as she tugged at Hiei, who was breathing  
  
shallowly now. His cape was soaked with blood as the red liquid dripped slowly to the forest floors. He reached for Yukina and touched her cheek. Yukina took Hiei into her arms and cradled him, "Hiei-kun, I knew you were my brother...why did you have to keep it from me?" She sobbed uncontrollably as she felt Hiei's youki fade away to nothingness. She tried hard to reach for his soul mentally, longing for him to wake up. She then groped for the necklace hung on Hiei's neck and took it, then hung the necklace made of a single Uraseki Stone around her neck. She took Hiei's hand and rubbed it against her cheek, but there was no warmth left. "Hiei...oniisan..." Yukina's voice echoed softly through the tranquillity of the forest. *** "YUKINA-SAN!" Kuwabara shouted desperately as he sat up on his bed. It took some time for him realise that he was in his room. "What a weird dream," he commented to himself as he scratched his head in puzzlement, thinking what that could have meant. He walked over to the kitchen to get a drink. Suddenly, a thought struck him. "The dream took place in a weird forest...with Yukina-san and Hiei...wait a moment! Yukina-san has gone to Makai to look for her brother..." Kuwabara wasted no time and stumbled over to the telephone and dialled a familiar number. As soon as the other end of the receiver was picked up, he yelled, "Kurama! Come over quick!" "Minamino residence, I'm afraid there's no such person here." A bright voice answered, but it was not Kurama's. Kuwabara was taken aback but quickly recovered.  
  
"Um...I mean Shu...Su...your brother." He answered carefully, hiding the anxiety in his voice.  
  
"You mean Shuichi-oniisan? Wait a moment." Soon, Kurama was on the other line. Kuwabara asked, "Kurama-kun?"  
"Yes?" Kurama replied. Kuwabara took a deep breath and yelled into the receiver, "Kurama! Come over quick!"  
Five minutes later, Kurama was in Kuwabara's room. "You're fast,"  
Kuwabara observed.  
  
"You told me to come over quick...so I sneaked out of the house, for  
I'll have a hard time convincing Kaasan why I was going out in the  
middle of the night...Shuichi knows, but I had him promise to keep  
quiet." Kurama explained. "What happened?" Kuwabara put down the receiver and cursed, "Damnit, Urameshi's not at home. Looks like we've got to do it ourselves." Kurama heard the brief description of Kuwabara's dream and confirmed his fears, for Hiei had predicted a misfortune to befall one of them. He slumped down on a chair and his face paled, "Hiei," he whispered to himself. Without further delay, Kuwabara and Kurama set off to Makai. The barrier between Ningenkai and Makai was destroyed quite some time ago soon after the battle with Sensui. Both of them had a bad feeling about this. Using his strong sense of direction, Kuwabara pinpointed the direction on Kurama's map. "About four kilometres from here." Kurama nodded, folded the cloth map quickly and started running eastwards, into a Makai forest. Yukina stirred. She had cried herself to sleep about two hours before. She opened her eyes reluctantly and found that it was still dark. She let her eyes readjust to the dark for a while and propped herself against a tree with her elbows. She felt Hiei's limp body lying on her lap and felt life in her womb. She thought her child would never make it as Hiei had foreseen a miscarriage. "Strange," Yukina thought as she placed a hand on her abdomen, and felt the strong life-force of her unborn Koorime child. "Yukina-san!" A loud voice rang through the forest. Yukina instantaneously turned her head to the source of the sound.  
"Kazuma-chan!" She shouted as the two dark figures approached. Upon  
arrival, Kurama knelt down immediately and hugged the body of the  
lifeless forbidden Koorime child tightly, letting his cheek touch  
Hiei's. He stared blankly into space and as he held the motionless  
body in his arms. Kuwabara sat on the grass beside Yukina, too stunned  
to utter a sound. He looked at Yukina as she buried her face in his  
chest and sobbed, "Oniisan..."  
  
she moaned faintly. A lightning bolt seemed to have struck Kuwabara  
when he realised that Yukina referred to Hiei as 'oniisan', as he  
suddenly understood why Hiei was so protective of Yukina. He patted  
her gently on her back as her sobbing ebbed. Kuwabara then stood up,  
carrying the tired Yukina on his back as he looked at the silent  
redhead.  
  
"Kurama, we should go," Kuwabara said in an almost  
emotionless tone. Kurama looked up at Kuwabara, closed his eyes and  
drooped his head again, letting his red hair cover his face before he  
looked up and replied,  
"Suman, I would like to stay here for a while, Kuwabara-kun. Go back  
  
with Yukina-chan first." Kuwabara looked into Kurama's ivy eyes and found that he could not bring himself to say no. He carried his exhausted wife and walked slowly  
  
to the west, towards the gate between Makai and Ningenkai. Kurama soon picked himself up and carried the small body of Hiei's to Genkai's temple. Genkai was no longer around, but she had lived to a  
  
ripe, old age.  
  
"Hiei, how old are you? Sixteen?" Kurama thought as he headed to the wilderness behind the temple. He took a deep breath to calm himself down as he passed some youki to some plants around him. Somehow, he felt that Hiei's soul was 'protected' in some unknown way as he witnessed Hiei's body vanishing, leaving behind a blood-stained cape. Carefully, he buried it and surrounded the area with plants, making  
  
accessibility impossible. His formed shimmered for a while as he became a silver kitsune, slinking off in the light under the bright full moon. "There is hope, Hiei's not dead," an inner voice told Kurama. **************************************************************************** ****************** Six months later...  
  
"Come quickly!", Keiko hustled a Koorime woman into Genkai's temple and guided her to a room. The Koorime woman looked calm, walking quickly into the room, holding a bowl of water, some ice and a towel. Keiko had an excited expression on her face, both happy and worried. The Koorime woman was one of Yukina's childhood friends, as well as a mid-wife of the Koorimes. Kuwabara followed Keiko into the room as Yuusuke and the others waited outside eagerly. After an hour of waiting, a long-awaited cry was heard. "It's a girl!", The Koorime shouted out as she held up the baby for a while before handing her to the now beaming Kuwabara. Kuwabara held the baby gently and looked at Yukina lovingly. The Koorime woman smiled to the people outside the room and announced, "Let us leave the family alone for a while," as she stepped out of the room and closed the door. Kuwabara sat beside Yukina's bed as he held the baby in his arms. He looked at her and Yukina, somehow feeling something from his daughter, her strong life-force. The couple looked at each other in pride as Yukina held out the tear-drop crystal she had shed after the birth of their daughter, but to her surprise, the white translucent tear-drop had a swirl of black in it. Yuusuke and the others sat around in the main hall of the temple as they chatted. Kurama had kept quiet throughout the whole event. He could feel something, "Hiei...", he whispered to himself and wondered whether to frown or to smile. A person, wearing T-shirt and jeans, stepped into the temple with a small bouquet of flowers. Her steps indicated to Yuusuke and Kurama that she was certainly no ordinary person. Yuusuke's jaw dropped when he saw the person's face. "Mukuro?" He gasped, voicing out everyone's thoughts. The woman smiled and nodded her head. Kurama had a look of bewilderment on his face, but smiled in puzzlement back. "She hadn't changed much in four years as well as the last time I've seen her," Yuusuke thought, thinking of the Makai tournament two years ago. Mukuro had sensed Hiei's 'death', when he had gone on that trip. She looked at Kurama and felt Hiei's soul somewhere near, asshe told Kurama softly, "Hiei would be glad to know he had such a good friend," She and Kurama stared at each other for a while, comprehending each other, as both felt a familiar feeling nearby. "The baby...can I carry her?", Mukuro asked politely and handed the flowers to Keiko as Kuwabara walked out with the little Koorime baby. Kuwabara was shocked when he saw her, but sensing she was up to nothing and that she sounded so sincere, he handed the baby to her hesitantly. "Has she got a name yet?", Mukuro asked curiously, looking at the baby's closed eyes and holding her small hand. Kuwabara shook his head, blushing a little in embarrassment, "Er...I haven't thought about that yet...". Kurama suggested, "Makoto,", taking the baby from Mukuro. Kuwabara headed to Yukina's room. No one made a noise for some time. "Makoto...", Mukuro thought aloud. The baby in Kurama's arms opened her eyes slowly and stared at Kurama. Kurama handed the baby over to Kuwabara as he walked to the main hall quickly, and added, "Her eyes are opened, and what she sees now is important. Better let her take a good look at you, 'Otosan'.", he chuckled.  
  
Mukuro looked over at the baby. The Koorime baby did not seem to mind her half disfigured face and touched Mukuro's right cheek, "Makoto...sincerity, faithfulness and truth." Mukuro commented as she gave a warm smile, a smile that only Hiei had seen after giving her a 'present', her father, in Makai. Kuwabara cleared his throat and announced, "Yukina-san has agreed. From now on, this child shall be called Makoto Kuwabara.". Mukuro took one last look at the baby and walked out hastily. "I have a request...can I be Makoto-chan's godfather?" Kurama asked. "Damn! Why is Kurama always the first to ask?" Yuusuke thought as Kuwabara stood there, surprised. "Why, yes!" Kuwabara replied loudly, then added shyly, "I need Yukina-san's consent first," Shizuru hit Kuwabara on his head hard and scolded, "Look! Kurama-kun is more concerned about Makoto than you, Baka!" Kuwabara blushed in embarrassment as he carried Makoto to Yukina's room, with Yuusuke, Kurama, Atsuko, Shizuru, and Keiko behind. But before they had taken two steps, a bright voice greeted them and turned their heads. "Koenma! Botan!" Keiko greeted in a similar bright manner as Botan did. Koenma was wearing his usual tunic, indicating that he came straight from the Reikai. He looked a little tired out. Botan, the ever-energetic one,  
  
ran into Yukina's room to see Makoto, who was carried by a very proud Kuwabara. The rest of them, including Koenma, followed behind and made their way to Yukina's room. Koenma sat down on a chair and crossing his left leg over his right, he spoke aloud, slowly and clearly, "I have some news...it may be bad news. Hiei's soul never went to Reikai."  
  
This shocked Yuusuke, Atsuko, Keiko and Kuwabara. Yukina looked somewhat startled. Shizuru and Kurama looked very calm, however. "Ahem...I meant that, most probably, Hiei's soul may either be in Makai or Ningenkai. His soul may be hidden somewhere or has...disappeared. We can't do anything about it...Gomen nasai, minna-san." Koenma said in a serious tone. "Koenma-san," Kurama said, "can I talk to you in private?" Koenma and Kurama stood in the backyard, leaving the rest of the gang in Yukina's room. "Koenma, I think you needn't worry about Hiei...I know his soul has safely reincarnated in Ningenkai." Kurama answered to Koenma, who had gave Kurama a 'how did you know that' look. Kurama just gave a shrug which indicated 'I just know it'. Koenma decided not to ask more and joined back the group and started  
  
celebrating. At the same time, Kurama, Shizuru and Mukuro thought, "Hiei, looks like you're going to get a happy childhood at last." "And follow in my footsteps," Kurama added.  
  
**************************************************************************** ************** Naomi's notes...... Chapter 1 done at last! *so happy!*  
  
This is my first attempt at a solo YYH fanfic...so don't blame me if it's lousy or what ^-^  
  
My favourite character is Kurama...but I've decided to let Hiei get some chance to be 'main character'  
  
...or should I say Makoto? *smile*  
  
I like YYH fanfics a lot...  
  
I'd like people to give me your comments about this story (I know it's a little crazy)...feel free to email xXMidori-ChanXx(since I Can't give out my email) questions or if you have any good ideas...especially some jokes. Most probably, Kurama and Hiei are going to be main characters...  
  
I'm not going to give away the plot here...^-^;...for I'll include a 'cute' character in the next chapter...  
  
(this author's notes must be pretty long...) 


	2. Childhood

Naomi-Chan: *chases xXMidori-ChanXx with spork * Damn it stop running so I can spork ya to death already!!  
  
xXMidori-ChanXx: WHEN BIRDS FLY!!!  
  
Naomi-Chan: YOU BAKA, BIRDS DO FLY!!! *catches and starts to spork her* *  
  
xXMidori-ChanXx: @.@  
  
Naomi-Chan: That's what you get when you mess with the ALMIGHTY NAOMI MAO!  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing...not even my room...  
  
Chapter 2 Childhood  
  
~~~~~~~3 years later... ~~~~~~~  
  
"Touchan! Touchan! Look what Kurama-chan gave me!" Makoto shouted out in joy as she ran towards Kuwabara. "She is a lot like Yukina in some ways, and so much happier than Hiei was..." Kurama thought as he closed his eyes and smiled at her child-like innocence. They were on a slope of a nature reserve, surrounded by greenery, one of Kurama's favourite spots in the area. Shiori had followed along to join in the fun with them. "A pity Tousan had to work, Kaasan, or he could join us," Kurama commented the not-so-little-anymore Shuichi offered to help Yukina in getting the things set for the picnic. Yuusuke had married Keiko soon after Makoto's birth and it seemed that they had gone out for another date. Kuwabara sighed, "Mako-chan, I missed the days when you were a baby, I guess Koorimes do mature fast." He carried her, even though she looked like teenager, a lotus bud ready to open its petals soon. She held out a blue coloured rose and showed it to Kuwabara. Kuwabara gave a small gasp of surprise for it is certainly not common to see a blue rose around. He looked at Kurama, who just gave a shrug and smiled, then turn to Makoto and said, "Well...that's nice."  
  
"Kaasan," Kurama called out his mother beside him, sitting on the slope and looking at the trees below, "I've something for you." He took out bouquet of flowers of appealing colours and fragrance. "The flowers are of the best in the world," he thought as he observed Shiori's happy expressions. He liked to see his mother being happy, for it seemed to make up a little for his lying to her for over twenty years. Shiori held the flowers and beckoned Shuichi to come over to take a look at the beautiful scenery as she went over to Yukina to lend a hand. "Oniisan," Shuichi said with a wink, "you certainly know how to make Kaasan happy." "Kurama-chan, can I have a red rose please?" Makoto asked, walking over to Kurama and Shuichi. Kurama looked at Shuichi's puzzled expression at Makoto's words and added, "Kurama's my nickname." He led Makoto over and let her sit on his lap. Four years have passed and he had not change much, whereas Makoto is already on the edge of blossoming into womanhood. He took out a rose from his hair and gave it to Makoto, guiding her hand to avoid the sharp thorns. Shuichi eyes widened a little as he saw Kurama take out the rose but assumed it was a trick to make Makoto-chan happy. Makoto sat still for a while as some memories flowed through her. "ROOZU WUIPPU!" Kurama cried out as he turned a rose into a whip, armed with deadly thorns, fighting a youkai. Someone was beside him...a small black shape. The 'someone' beside Kurama also fought violently and skilfully, and seemed somehow...familiar... Makoto was cut off from her thoughts as Kurama ran his fingers through her short ebony hair. "Don't think too much." He whispered. "Mako-chan, Kazuma-chan, Kurama-san, Shuichi-san, dinnertime!" Yukina cried out excitedly. They gathered around in front of a large old tree and shared out the food between them, laughing and chatting the evening away. Night was falling fast and they had finished eating. They packed up and sat around, waiting for the moon to show it's bright face upon the earth before strolling to the car. In the car, Makoto asked, "Touchan, can I stay with Kurama-chan for the night today? Please?" Kuwabara looked at her pleading eyes and replied, "If Kurama says you can, Mako-chan." She turned her head around immediately at Kurama, whose lap she was sitting on as there was not enough space in the car.  
  
Kuwabara was doing the driving and Yukina sat in the front seat, giving him the directions. Kurama looked at Shiori as she gave him a 'go-ahead' look. Kurama put his arms around her waist and answered, "If you want." Makoto gave a triumphant smile, as Shiori commented, "Shuichi-dear, I think she's treating you like a second father already,". Kurama winked at Kuwabara in the car mirror in front, as Kuwabara winked back, giving him a look of accuse of not telling Shiori that Kurama 'is' Makoto's godfather. Shuichi joked, "Looks like I'll have to sleepon the couch again!" Kurama took Makoto into his room and started putting some mattresses on the floor. Makoto sat on the bed, watching him work as her legs dangled at the edge of the bed. Kurama took out a set of pajamas for Makoto. She came over pretty often for a sleep-over, as she needed Kurama to talk about her problems. Makoto offered to help and said, "Kurama-chan, I'll take the floor and you take the bed this time."  
  
Kurama shook his head slightly as he finished arranging the mattresses and walking over to Makoto, he sat on the bed beside her. They chatted for a while about flowers and plants until someone knocked on the door and stepped in. It was Shuichi. He came over and sat beside Makoto, and joined in their lively chatting. Shuichi found that they talked about some weird topics he did not really understand and tried to change the subject by mentioning, "Oh yes, Oniisan, I think I saw some strange plants under your desk," this made Kurama turn his head abruptly at Shuichi, for he had not been anticipating this. "Nani?" Kurama snapped quickly. Shuichi was a little startled at Kurama's response and defended himself, "well, I was doing my homework on your desk and I spilled some drinks...I tried to look for a cloth and stumbled on your plants...those plants look ...weird". Makoto looked at Kurama and asked, "Can I see those plants? You said Makai plants are tougher than  
  
Ningenkai plants, and I want to see that for myself." She obviously referred to the plants as those from Makai. Shuichi looked puzzled for the second time that day now. Kurama gave a sigh of resignation and went over to his desk. "Shuichi, looks like I can't hide from you any longer. Since the truth doesn't seem to hurt anyone, I'll tell you tomorrow." Kurama displayed his stash of Makai plants and let Makoto touch it. He stopped Shuichi as Shuichi held his hand out, trying to touch the plant. "It's poisonous." He explained. Shuichi looked at Makoto and asked, "Why is it that she can touch it?" Makoto touched the soft surface  
  
of a leaf and felt it between two fingers. Kurama took the plant away from Makoto slowly and plucked a leaf. He gave it a small but careful squeeze, letting a drop of plant juice drip on a small strip of copper. It dissolved immediately upon touch. "Oniisan, don't tell me these plants are...illegal..." Shuichi whispered as he watched in awe. "Makoto and I can touch it without getting seriously hurt, but you can't." Kurama continued explaining before he turned back to Makoto. "Makoto, get into the bed, it's pretty late." "Kurama-chan, tell me a story!" Makoto protested. Kurama sighed and sat on the bed beside her, calling Shuichi over to the room. Shuichi sat on the mattress, waiting patiently. Kurama said, "Shuichi-chan, I think I'll share the mattresses with you tonight...is it okay?" Shuichi nodded  
  
his head. "Kurama-chan, I want you to sleep with me!" Makoto protested again, this time pulling Kurama down onto the bed in a lying position. Kurama refused at first but relented after continuous protests from Makoto. "You want a story?" Kurama offered. Both Makoto and Shuichi nodded their heads vigorously. Kurama thought for a while before starting, "Okay, here goes. This is a legend about a Youko in Makai, and it goes way back to about four centuries ago." Makoto intercepted, "Kurama-chan, Touchan mentioned about that before, it was a famous legend." Then stopped and kept quiet, letting Kurama continue. They listened in interest as sleep slowly claimed them. "Hiei!" A voice called to Makoto. She spun her head around, only to see nothing but darkness around her. Then, a tall figure stepped out of nowhere. Makoto tensed up, her limbs ready to defend herself if necessary. The figure had long silver hair down to his waist, complete with two fox's ears and a bushy silver tail. As he walked to Makoto, his form changed, fading a familiar young man with red bushy hair. Makoto held a sword in her hand. She looked around, but there was no one else besides Kurama and her. "Hiei..." Makoto whispered to herself. A monster suddenly appeared and she leapt back, landing beside Kurama. Kurama gave her a smile and took out a rose. Suddenly, a whip of thorns took its place and started lashing out at the monster. Makoto, not wasting any time, jumped up and brought her sword down at the monster, the blade split the monster right down in the middle. She swung her blade a few more times, discovering a few more ways of killing. She stood, facing Kurama, her sword dripping blood on the non- existent floor. Kurama waved his hand  
  
and disappeared. Makoto felt heat building up in her, trying to burn the barrier to her memories. The heat concentrated on her forehead and with a burst of light, a third eye opened. Makoto felt the intense fire in the third eye on her forehead and let out a scream. Makoto woke with a start, and saw a very caring Kurama beside her. She shook her head slightly to indicate that she was all right and lay back to sleep. Morning broke and Yuusuke started setting up his ramen shop. Keiko sat down and ate a bowl of noodles before leaving for work. Yuusuke started preparing his ingredients when a young man stumbled and fell in front of his shop, unconcious. **************************************************************************** ********* Authors notes... If you think the authors notes are redundent, then don't continue...  
  
heehee...completed this chapter...quite short...  
  
Sorry...I wanted to include the 'character' in this chapter...but this chapter is longer than I thought...*phew* I guess I concentrated a little too much on Kurama...but well, he's my fave character...^-^;  
  
I have no idea when this story's going to end...but (good news) I won't stop till I reach the end... this is only chapter 2...but the notes here are  
  
so long...wonder how's chapter 3's author notes like?... I want to thank xXMidori-ChanXx for her help...even though it may be too early to do  
  
so...but I can't hold the thanks back...don't blame me *smile*  
  
.........I NEED COMMENTS!!!...If you enjoyed it so far, please review...most stories live on support and encouragement as food......God, I'm  
  
hungry...ok...see you!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~ 


	3. Shura

Chapter 3 Shura  
  
"Wha..What?" Yuusuke exclaimed as the boy fell at his feet. He rushed over and picked the boy up and looking at his half set-up ramen stall, he decided to shut it down and bring the boy to his home. He could feel the boy's youki, proving the boy to be definitely not human. Yuusuke muttered some curses as he carried the boy home easily. Atsuko was not at home, "Must be out with her boyfriend," He thought as he lay the boy on his bed. "The boy looked familiar," Yuusuke thought. He saw a horn-like thing on the boy's forehead and looked carefully at the boy's face. "Matte yo!" Yuusuke exclaimed to himself, "Isn't this Shura?" The boy was unconscious but alive, still strong, Yuusuke felt the strong potential yet raw power from him.  
  
~~~~~~A few hours later...~~~~~~  
  
The boy stirred slowly and clumsily. Yuusuke sat at the bedside and watched him intently, thinking of Shura's reaction when he saw Yuusuke. Shura's ebony hair had grown to caress his shoulders, straight and silky. He opened his eyes and squinted a little as the sun shone in brightly from the window directly opposite the bed. He saw a face smiling curiously at him and sat up quickly, his mind ready to prepare for a fight. "Urameshi Yuusuke? Where am I?" Shura demanded as he let his defences down. His pointed ears twitched a little as his gaze met Yuusuke's. Yuusuke saw a glint of desperation in Shura and pulled himself closer to the bed. "Well, you're in my room. You fell at my ramen stall this morning and I don't know why I had to care about Yomi's damn kid." Yuusuke said sarcastically. Shura looked down at the blankets on the bed and mumbled, "Sorry..." as a tear fell from his eye. He got up and stood unevenly and walked slowly to the door. Yuusuke stared at him as he suddenly slumped on the ground before he could even open the door. "Here we go again..."Yuusuke complained as he carried the unconscious Shura back to the bed. "Mako-chan, try to behave when you're there." Kuwabara reminded as he sat behind the steering wheel. "Hai! Touchan!" Makoto replied eagerly. "Mako-chan, there's a teacher by the name of Takenaka, who is going to be your teacher...what a coincidence. He used to teach me six years ago, you know." "Really?" Makoto asked excitedly as she leaned forward from the back seat, clutching her school bag. "I can't fetch you to school everyday, besides, the school isn't very far. You can easily run there in about five minutes." Kuwabara reminded once more. As they got off the car, Kuwabara smiled and said, "Remember, Mako- chan...behave!" Makoto laughed and ran off, her psychic senses leading her to her class. "Class, there is a new student joining us, can you introduce yourself, Kuwabara-san?" Takenaka sensei announced in front of the class. Makoto stood in front of the class energetically, "Hai! Sensei!" She then faced the class. "Konnichiwa minna-san, my name is Kuwabara Makoto. This is the first time I've ever been to school, so I'll need your help." Makoto bowed politely as Takenaka sensei guided her to her seat. She was a little uneasy, and looked left and right. Her school uniform was comfortable enough, but the scarf tied around her neck with a bow in front made her felt as if she was lowering her head to it, hiding her pride. She fingered it a little, trying to figure some way of breaking the tension. The teacher then started the lesson. After two hours of sitting completely still, the bell rang, indicating lunch break, to the students' relief.Makoto stood up and stretched a bit, a sore from sitting so long in a position and walked over to a girl sitting to her right. "Is school always like that?" She asked inquisitively. The girl looked at her, amazed at her ignorance for a moment, and replied, "Yes...but there's physical education...you mean you really never been to school before?" It was now Makoto's turn to be puzzled. "Gomen, I forgot to ask for your name..." "I'm Tanaka Sayako, pleased to meet you, Kuwabara-san,"  
  
"Call me Mako, everyone does..." "Okay...Mako-chan, are you in anyway related to Kuwabara Kazuma? I heard he was rather famous in this school, a ex-delinquent who somehow got into High School..." "Touchan? He used to tell me about his schooldays with Yuusuke-chan." "NANI!? He's your father?" Sayako exclaimed as they made their way to the canteen. Makoto nodded innocently. Sayako could not believe her ears. "How can he have such a big daughter? I mean, how old are you and how old is he?" Sayako inquired. Makoto replied, "How is that not possible? He's twenty-one already. I'm three." Sayako chuckled, "Don't let the joke go too far, Mako-chan." Makoto just kept quiet, remembering Kuwabara's repetitive reminders not to be rude, for he explained to her that if she mentioned her parentage  
  
and birth, which people may not believe. She stuck a spoonful of rice in her mouth and kept silent. She finished her food quickly and walked back to her classroom, with a whole fifteen minutes to spare. Takenaka-sensei was still in the classroom. There was no one else, Makoto noted. The aged teacher beckoned Makoto to come over and sit at his table. "Can I talk to you for a moment, Kuwabara?" Makoto smiled and nodded, as she placed a chair opposite the teacher's table and sat down gracefully, trying to create a good impression. "Yes, sensei?" "I heard you have no other school records, but an ex-student called Urameshi Yuusuke managed to get you in here by some 'means'. Your father is by the name of Kuwabara Kazuma, an ex-student here. I'm just curious about how he had a daughter this age." Makoto squirmed a little in her seat. "Sensei, will you believe what I tell you?" "Go ahead," the man offered. "Well, I'm three years old, daughter of Rei-ken user Kuwabara Kazuma and Koorime Yukina." Takenaka swallowed hard for a while, but stabled himself. "I've heard of Yuusuke and Kuwabara being 'special', but not to this extent. You mean you are only three?" Makoto nodded lamely. Takenaka hesitated for a while, and came to a conclusion, "I think I'll pay your family a visit, is it fine, Makoto? I think I  
  
need to understand your family background more." Makoto smiled for she had found someone who did not totally disbelieve her. Five minutes before the bell rang, students streamed into the classroom. Makoto went back to her seat and sighed, thinking of the next three hours she had to endure later. Some students approached her  
  
after school and they started chatting. From the corner of her eye, Makoto saw a boy sitting in a corner by himself. He was silent throughout the day, but he seemed thoughtful but not lonely. Makoto walked over and sat on the table beside him as the rest of the students left the classroom. They sat there, looking at each other wordlessly, yet their eyes communicated with each other. "Quite a strong reiki," Makoto thought as she used her psychic powers to test the boy's psychic ability. They remained quiet for a few minutes before the boy finally opened his mouth, "Yoroshiku, Makoto-san, my name is Sasaki Yakumo." He smiled softly, reminding Makoto of Kurama unknowingly. She smiled back and stated, "You have pretty strong reiki for a human..." She glanced at her watch and picked up her bag quickly, "I've gotta go, Yakumo-san, ja mata!" Yakumo waved at her, acknowledging her leaving as he remained in thought for a while before picking up his satchel and stepping out of the class. "YUUSUKE! What is this boy doing in our room?" Keiko shouted at Yuusuke as she saw the sleeping boy lying on her bed. Yuusuke hushed her immediately when he heard the volume her voice went to. Shura stirred as the noise hit him and sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes and letting out a yawn. He then looked at Yuusuke and Keiko sleepily and mumbled weakly, "I'm hungry...". Yuusuke then explained to Keiko, "He's Yomi's son, you know, Yomi, the one I fought with for more than sixty hours during the Makai tournament..." "What!?" Keiko gasped aloud then quickly regained her composure. She looked thoughtful for a while, absorbing the fact. "I see..." She mumbled to Yuusuke. They looked at Shura for a while as Shura sat uneasily. His stomach suddenly gave a growl which changed the atmosphere. "I'll get a bowl of ramen," Yuusuke offered. Keiko then waited patiently for Shura to finish eating before asking him any questions. Keiko and Yuusuke left Shura alone to eat while they did some household chores. "Yuusuke-chan! It's your turn to wash the dishes today!" Keiko said aloud as she slumped down on the sofa, tired out from mopping the floor. Yuusuke grumbled as he went to the kitchen and got to work. Keiko went to the dining room and saw an empty bowl on the table. Shura's head lay on the table with his hands by the side, dangling limply. Keiko ran over and looked at him, but found that he was only sleeping. His eyes fluttered a bit as he mouthed the word, "Father" over and over again. "Must be dreaming," Keiko thought. She sighed as she carried the sleeping boy to the bedroom. "Sleep well, Shura, for you have a lot of explaining to do tomorrow." **************************************************************************** ********* Naomi-chan's jabbering...um...notes This is life...typing the fic on a day...at 12 midnight...with a mug of hot chinese tea and music from  
  
Vampire Princess Miyu...  
  
This chapter's a little short...but it seemed appropriate to cut off here...  
  
Well, as I've said, this is my first attempt on a fic...  
  
Maybe I'll introduce myself a little...I'm a 14 year-old YYH fan from Singapore...  
  
*sigh* must go back to school and study...  
  
I want to thank xXMidori-ChanXx for all her help once more...  
  
DOMO ARIGATO GOZAIMASU!  
  
Please tell me how the story is...I'm desperate for comments...  
  
Any suggestions about character development or jokes or tragic scenes...or even criticisms are welcome...this author's notes are real long...  
  
*phew* my work may be slowed down due to school...  
  
Sumaimasen minna-san^-^  
  
you can also email xXMidori-ChanXx if you are a YYH fan or looking for a YYH friend...  
  
I'm at the YYH chat as Kurama...hope to see someone there... Arigato to all who managed to finish this chapter without falling asleep...  
  
"Yawn..." Better sleep...it's 4 am in the morning...  
  
Ja mata! (hmm...1771 words...)  
  
Chapter 4 Confessions  
  
Makoto wandered aimlessly among the trees. She had never felt that lost and scared before. She tried not to let fear grip her as she trudged on slowly. The damp air had a sense of freshness, yet the crowns of the trees blocked off most of the sunlight. She clenched her Hirui-seki around her neck tightly in her fist. The dim sunlight was fading, indicating that the night of in wilderness was falling. Feeling unable to do anything, Makoto sat down, hugging her knees close to her chest with the Hirui-seki still in her fist. A soft whistling echoed dreamily across the woods as Makoto felt her forehead burning. Makoto suddenly did not feel like herself anymore and tried to sleep her loneliness away.Her shadow was that of another, as her original self took over her mind and became as one. She held her head up for a while as she sang what seemed like a whisper, "Kuchibue ga kikoeru..." Yukina shook the sleeping figure in the bed gently, "Mako-chan, wake up, you have to go to school today." Kuwabara entered the room at the same time and his face turned a little red as he saw Yukina. "Yukina-san, let me do it," He offered as he gave her a small hug. She smiled, accepting the hug for a while before shrugging off his hands, "I'll go and get breakfast ready." Kuwabara observed the still-sleeping-soundly Makoto and sat beside her on the bed. A small glittering tear appeared at the corner of her eye and slid off her cheek, creating a small little crystal that slid off the pillow. Kuwabara shook her more strongly, but before he could open his mouth, Makoto sat up immediately without warning, her eyes still closed. She swung her arms, embracing Kuwabara in a swift motion by pure instinct and remained silent for a while before Kuwabara decided to interrupt Makoto. "Mako-chan, get dressed and have breakfast." He said in an uncertain tone. Makoto opened her eyes and jumped as she saw Kuwabara. "Er...Touchan...Ohayo!" She said aloud in her usual cheerful manner. She gave Kuwabara a confirming smile as she stood up and walked to the bathroom. Kuwabara sat there for a while, scratching his head in his usual puzzled manner, then later went over to the dining room for breakfast. "Yukina-san, you're the best cook anyone could have...it looks too good to be eaten!" Kuwabara commented loudly to Yukina, who was in the kitchen. He looked at the food and picked up his wooden chopsticks. Yukina entered into the dining room at the same time as Makoto did. Yukina smiled, showing appreciation to Kuwabara, "Kazu-chan, you've been saying that for the past three years." "But it's really good!...maybe a little hard today..." Kuwabara protested. "Touchan, I think you're eating the chopsticks..." Makoto pointed out as she took her own chopsticks and attacked her own bowl of noodles. "But Kaachan, you are a good cook!" She added. Yukina smiled again as she ate her share, and looked at the clock. "Mako-chan, I think you better run to school now, it's ten minutes to eight." Makoto's eyes widened for a second, then nodded, mouth still bulging with food, grabbed her bag and started running at her fastest speed, which most probably broke the world record. "RINNNNG!!!" The bell rang mercilessly, as the clock struck eight. Makoto was already in her seat and taking out her pencil case and her chemistry textbook. "Hm...reached here a whole minute earlier than I expected..." She glanced at her watch, "Maybe my speed has improved." Her thoughts were disrupted as the teacher walked into the suddenly hushed classroom. "Today, we're going to do an experiment in the Science lab, I'm going to remind you on some of the safety rules." The teacher droned on as they walked to the Science lab. Being her first time, Makoto let her eyes dart to every corner alertly, missing nothing. She had been trained to do this ever since she was a few months old. The enthusiastic students crowded around the table as the teacher demonstrated the experiment. He took a few test tubes and heated those which contained a greenish liquid over the blue flame of the Bunsen burner. Makoto watched, fascinated, not by the experiment, but by the small, yet strong blue flame which was reduced to an unstable yellow one as the teacher took the test tubes away. He turned off the fire and said, "Okay, students, try this experiment yourselves, but remember to be careful." The student gave a chorused "Yes!" Then they started to get to work. Makoto stared at the flame as her Sayako did the experiment with her. "Makoto-san?" She asked curiously, "what's so interesting about the fire?" However, Makoto could not hear her, for in her mind, a picture of black fire burned in her head. As the class was dismissed, Makoto sat there, trying to think about how her dreams were connected to her memories which unlocked themselves so slowly. Takenaka stepped into the classroom, holding a small pile of books. Makoto walked over quickly and offered to help. "No, thank you, Makoto. I can easily manage." He gave her a heart-warming smile, one that she needed so much from her friends, but given to her by a teacher. She smiled back and slung her bag over her shoulders. Takenaka reminded, "Makoto, I'm going to your home later, but if you don't mind, we can go there together now." Makoto gave a nod as the teacher carried his books to the teacher's room and leaving it on the table, and walked off with Makoto. "Touchan, Kaachan, tadaima!" Makoto announced excitedly as she invited Takenaka-sensei in. "Kaachan, Takenaka-sensei is here!" Yukina came out hurriedly and received both of them. "Sumimasen," She said in a sweet tone, "Kazuma-chan is taking a bath." She explained as she led the elderly teacher to the living room and gestured him to sit on the sofa. Kuwabara came into the living room in his usual T- shirt and shorts and gasped a bit as he saw the man sitting on the sofa. "Takenaka-sensei, forgive my rudeness. I forgot you were coming today," He admitted shyly, then sat beside Makoto. Takenaka cleared his throat and started, "Kuwabara, as you know, Makoto got into this school through Urameshi Yuusuke. My purpose here is to know more about Makoto, for she seems to be something 'special'." Kuwabara and Yukina looked at Takenaka strangely, making him feel uncomfortable. Kuwabara then said, "I think maybe you should know everything, if it does our daughter good. Come with us to the temple later and you shall see for yourself, Sensei." Yukina agreed his descision by nodding her head as Makoto asked, "Another practice session?" Kuwabara placed her on his lap and replied, "Yeah, I almost forgot to tell you, Mako-chan." He then thought, telling the truth won't hurt anybody now, since there seemed to be no more trouble in Makai, Reikai and ...Ningenkai." He then chuckled to himself. As Yukina, Kuwabara and Makoto entered the temple with Takenaka, Yuusuke and Keiko looked at him strangely . When Kuwabara and Yukina saw Shura with them, their reactions were no different. Shura and Makoto smiled shyly at each other as Shura took the initiative, "Konnichiwa, I am Shura, son of Yomi, and you are...?" Makoto answered his questions and they chatted happily as the rest waited for Kurama. Kuwabara grumbled a bit, "and I thought I was the oneto be late." Kurama entered the temple and apologised, "Sumanai minna-san, I am late."  
  
Yuusuke, Keiko, Kuwabara and Yukina were shocked when they saw whom Kurama brought along.  
  
Even Shura and Makoto had 'surprise' written all over their faces. Yuusuke demanded, "Kurama, why did you bring Shuichi here?" Kurama shrugged it off and replied deftly, "I guess it's for the same reason why you brought Takenaka-sensei here." Takenaka was amazed by this. "Say, isn't this Minamino Shuichi, the boy who topped his school twice?" Kurama smiled sheepishly and bowed politely to acknowledge Takenaka's question, "Yes, I am." "Looks like it's pretty lively here today," Shuichi, Kurama's younger brother, commented. "Start the practice!" Yuusuke said in a tone of superiority as he stepped up to the empty practice hall.  
  
"Kurama, I'll take you on today." Kurama replied casually, "Fine by me." Takenaka was puzzled for a moment but soon realised what they were going to do. They were going to fight. "Urameshi, what do you think you are doing?" Takenaka demanded loudly, which made some heads turn. Shuichi rephrased Takenaka's sentence, "Oniisan, you sure you can do this?" Yuusuke and Kurama gave both of them reassuring smiles as they turned to face each other. In a split second, they were pitting themselves using their physical fighting techniques. Kurama showed a fine display of Martial arts and Yuusuke followed suit in his usual style, but with more power. Shuichi was impressed, but he maintained silence. The speed of the two fighters rose rapidly, and soon, their motions were unseen to human eyes. It seemed not to be a problem for Kuwabara and Makoto though, for they had been trained to watch such fights. Makoto shouted, "Yuusuke-chan, Kurama-chan, at this rate, you won't even work up a sweat!" Takenaka-sensei continued to watch in amazement. He knew Yuusuke was good at fighting, but this seemed to go a little too far, and he did not know Kurama can fight so well, and not losing to Yuusuke in any way so far.  
  
Yuusuke leapt high and landed on the other side of the hall. He clenched his fist and held it at abdomen level. His fist started glowing as he took a few shots at Kurama direction, which Kurama dodged easily. In return, Kurama took out a seed from his hair and threw them at Yuusuke. The seeds exploded into plants in mid-air and came down as a mass of vines, acting like a net. The net went right over Yuusuke as he had not expected this. He struggled for a while as Kurama advanced towards Yuusuke. Yuusuke's fists started to glow again and shot out small balls of energy repeatedly, burning through the strong vines. They continued physical battle for ten minutes until Kurama suddenly reverted to Youko form and summoned some Makai vines, which trapped Yuusuke instantaneously. Youko Kurama quickly reverted back to his human form, but that was enough to make Takenaka fall back heavily on his chair. "What's a creature of legend doing here?" He questioned himself as Keiko noted his expressions and went over, assuring him that everything would be all right. Yuusuke struggled again and tore at the vines, but he  
  
could not get out. "Hey! You cheated! Not fair!" he protested as Kurama walked over, "Yuusuke-kun, admit it, you lost."  
  
Yuusuke kept reserved for a while as Kurama destroyed the vines easily with a few waves of his hand. "Yuusuke, I'm an S-class already, if you haven't noticed, even though I'm not of a high status." Yuusuke scowled a bit, but admitted that he lost, "I guess you still have better strategies, Kurama, but I'll win you if I had used my rei-gun." Kurama nodded without thinking, "True, but it's too dangerous for everyone if you use it." Shuichi went over to Kurama cautiously, "Can I touch you?" he asked apprehensively, which brought a chuckle from Kurama, "Of course you can, Shuichi-chan." Shuichi sat down beside Kurama, who was nursing some minor cuts on his arms with some weird looking plants. Kurama then explained everything to him, as Makoto joined them in Kurama's confession. Shura had been observing the two fighter's movements carefully.  
  
"Yuuske-kun, Kurama-kun, you have improved," he noted, "...since the last Makai tournament," he added, faltering a little at the last few words. Yuusuke grinned back at him, "But of course!" Kurama sat there beside Shuichi as Shuichi and Makoto listened intently to Kurama's explanation, realising the story that he told them about the Legendary Youko Kurama was true. "Shuichi, if anything happens to ...I mean, if I leave Ningenkai, please take care of Kaasan for me. Now since you know the truth, the family relies on you as a heir, Shuichi-san." Kurama said in a dead serious tone. Makoto kept her face taut, not spilling her feelings. Kurama's confessions did not surprise her, but instead given her a sense of comfort, as she found that her dreams may be true. "Is it true that I have so much memories locked away?" She whispered in her head, a faraway voice at the back of her mind trying to recall the past. "Kuwabara! Makoto! Your turn!" Yuusuke shouted out from fifty meters away as he pointed to the training hall. Makoto gave an evil grin as she pounded her bandaged right fist into her left palm. She had changed into her fighting clothes a while ago, which had been made from some weird cloth which Kurama brought back from the Makai. He had mentioned that cloths from Makai were usually pretty tough and would not  
  
dirty easily, and besides, they provided better protection. The white clothing that Youko Kurama always wore was one of the highest, and rarest, if not, one of the highest in rank of armour, after Sensui's death. The Makai-styled clothes fitted Makoto perfectly, which bore a sneaking resemblance to Genkai's fighting wear as well.  
  
Kuwabara stepped up to the hall and got ready. Makoto followed suit and said aloud to Kurama, "Kurama-chan, I'll show Touchan what you  
  
taught!" Yuusuke gave a short laugh, "Father and daughter, but with the same 'teacher'!" Takenaka just sat there as Keiko tried to explain as much as possible of what she knew. Shuichi looked at Kurama, whose minor injuries were almost healed already. Some had vanished without a trace. Yuusuke shouted, "Start!", which puts the battle into place almost immediately. Kuwabara and Makoto wasted no time and started their attacks. A sword of light formed in his hand as Makoto took out a sword. Her reiki was not meant to be made into a weapon like Kuwabara, but she chose a sword as a weapon, similar to Kuwabara's one. The handle of her sword was bandaged to provide a better grip as she took position. "Hm...a good battle pose, Makoto is definitely a born fighter." Yuusuke thought as the two, father and daughter, fought hard, their hand movements almost invisible to human eyes. A feeling abruptly invaded Makoto and she held the simple blade in her hand in a better grip as pure instincts told her when and where to strike. Kuwabara and she fought for two minutes skilfully and quickly. Something surged over  
  
Makoto and she leaped forward a bit, twisted her body smoothly and plunged the blade into Kuwabara back, above his heart, then pulling it out as soon as it went in. Her eyes were expressionless for a moment until she realised what she had done. She dropped her sword with a 'Clang!' and ran to Kuwabara, who was taken aback by her sudden attack. Kurama ran over and examined the wound. "Nothing serious, Kuwabara-kun. The blade had avoided all important nerves and organs, and it's a clean cut." Kurama then helped him bandage the cut with some herbs and reassured him, "It should heal in a couple of days." Yukina was half scared to death until she heard Kurama's assurance of Kuwabara's safety. Makoto stood there, still stunned by the sudden turn of events. She quick-stepped over to Yuusuke, who praised her for her skill. Kurama thought, "Only a true swordsman can do that...Hiei may have awaken." Yuusuke then went over beside where Takenaka sat and announced, "Okay, everybody, I think that's enough. Let's call it a day." No one objected as they proceeded to another part of the temple to sit down and have some tea.  
  
Yukina poured some fragrant tea into the little cups as Keiko asked, "Kurama, what tea is this?" Kurama took a sniff at his cup of tea and replied without hesitation, "Rose tea, but it's pretty unusual...there's plant sap in the tea as well." Keiko looked into her cup and asked, "Where did you get this from?" Kurama just gave a I-don't-know shrug and drank it, "Kaasan gave it to me, she said she got this from England." Takenaka decided to join in the conversation, "Where did you learn to fight, and so well too?" Yuusuke thought for a while, recalling the  
  
horrible training that Genkai gave him and replied, "I was trained by a Reiki master, Genkai." Takenaka then continued, "Where is Genkai?" Yuusuke did not expect the question but replied in a casual tone, "Dead." "Oh," Takenaka realised. Keiko decided to change the atmosphere. "Shura, will you tell everyone why you decided to come to Ningenkai?" She realised suddenly that Takenaka may not understand what she was saying and quickly changed the topic, "Takenaka-sensei, I think you  
  
had better go home, it's pretty late now." Takenaka agreed with her silently as Keiko led him out of the temple. All around the temple was wilderness as Keiko pointed to him the way out. Kurama asked, "Shuichi-chan, do you want to go home?" "Iie, oniisan. I think I'll stay with you." Yuusuke turned back to Shura, "Explanation?" ************************************************************************ to be continued...^-^ Author's notes... *heehee*...I know this is getting a little 'out of hand'  
  
...anyway, I wrote this story after listening to so many YYH cds...  
  
oh yes...better translate some of the jap words... Hirui-seki = tear of grief (the 'solidified' tear of the koorimes...)  
  
Sumimasen/Sumanai = Excuse me/sorry (in a way)  
  
Tadaima = I'm home  
  
Oniisan = elder brother  
  
sensei = teacher (ok...I know all these are roughly translated...) "Kuchibue ga kikoeru  
  
kinou yori mo tooku de  
  
togiretogire no, kakera o atsume  
  
migite ri nigirishime sotto me o togiru..."... translation:  
  
"I can hear whistling from distant yesterday.  
  
I collect the scattered pieces I hold them tightly in my right hand,  
  
and softly close my eyes." All rights from all the respective owners of YYH ...and Phil's homepage...^-^ school is SO busy nowadays I have hardly anytime to 'touch' the computer...  
  
I want to know more YYH friends...please email me at aster@pacific.net.sg if you have any comments or just want to be friends....well, hope to  
  
hear from people (or youkais) soon...  
  
Ja mata!  
  
Chapter 5 Hanako Yuusuke's gaze was fixed on Shura as the others looked on silently. Tears started to stream down Shura's face. Yuusuke did not change his  
  
facial expressions and waited patiently, something which he had not done for a long time. Shura stopped sobbing very soon and thought for a  
  
while, as he did not know where to start.  
  
"Makai is in chaos. An unreasonable Youkai won the tournament not long ago and began a killing rampage. Otosa...Otosama...Otosama he..."  
  
Shura's damp eyes were brimming with tears as he choked on the last words. Keiko took the initiative and consoled Shura, and asked, "What happened to Yomi?"  
  
Shura clutched his head with both hands and cried, "O..Otosama sent me to Ningenkai...I don't know! I really don't know and I don't want to  
  
know!" His voice rose and suddenly muted, and remained that way for a while. Kuwabara then suggested meekly, "I think we should go now. It's pretty late and we should rest now." The rest of the group agreed tiredly and  
  
retreated. Keiko had offered to put Shura up at her home. Yuusuke had not been prepared to hear this and was annoyed at Keiko's decision, but  
  
experience with Keiko's fists had told him enough that objection was ruled out, and anyway, it was Keiko's decision and she had promised to  
  
take full responsibility over Shura. He just sulked as they walked down the straight lane, heading towards home. "Touchan," Makoto asked gently while Kuwabara held her hand as they walked.  
  
"Yes, Mako-chan?" Kuwabara responded in a concerned tone.  
  
"Why do other people here not accept us? We are humans too, though of different birth." Makoto protested softly as the thought of Sayako  
  
crossed her mind.  
  
Shura seemed to be in a worse off state, "But he seemed to handle it rather well," Makoto thought. Kuwabara read her mind and just smiled the  
  
subject off, then broke off his psychic link with Makoto to allow her some privacy. Makoto took the hint as "Don't brood over it" and gave his  
  
hand a squeeze. They then walked on straight, looking only ahead with a little sparkle in their eyes. Makai was in complete confusion. The stronger Youkais of the Makai fought each other violently, not caring about the rules Yuusuke, Mukuro  
  
and Yomi had agreed on before Yuusuke left six years ago. Mukuro and Yomi were alive, barely, trying to keep Makai in one piece. Yomi, after  
  
sending Shura to Ningenkai, joined forces with Mukuro. Mukuro had came back from her two years from Ningenkai and was very irritated by  
  
what she saw. She had given up her seventy-seven bodyguards before heading to Ningenkai, but there were a few truly loyal ones who had  
  
stayed by her side then, which one of them was Hiei.  
  
"He never admits anything," Mukuro thought as she sat in her castle, taking a rest from continuous days of fighting off the Youkais who  
  
harmed the others on the land which used to be hers. Hiei had never told Mukuro that he was willing to stay with her, but he had remained in  
  
Makai to serve under her with a group of powerful Youkais, using the excuse "The battles between the Youkais in Makai are what interests me."  
  
Mukuro gave a cunning grin to herself as she thought of Hiei's stubbornness which shabbily covered the loyalty and faithfulnes inside him.  
  
A small group of powerful Youkais had planned to take over Makai by unfair means, which enraged the rest of Makai, yet was apprehensive of  
  
them, for they were strong. Many Youkais had died from challenging them, and innocent Youkais were killed if they were unlucky to meet them  
  
under battling circumstances. Almost a third of Makai was in ruins. The other two thirds were close to under siege, and fiercely protected by  
  
Mukuro, Yomi and a group of peace-making Youkais, especially Yuusuke's friends, Chuu, Jin, Touya and the others.  
  
With such a strong team, they had several victories, yet it was the land and the innocent who suffered during the war. Yomi and Mukuro then  
  
went back to their old memories, the time during the warring of the three countries.  
  
"History repeats itself, but enemies can become allies as well," Yomi thought as he faced the dark, clouded sky of Makai out from his castle  
  
window, his eyes closed eternally since his youth. Shura had done his explanation to Keiko and Yuusuke that night, with some effort. Yuusuke was incensed and was ready to shoot to Makai, if  
  
not for Keiko. She stopped him abruptly and debated logically, "Use your brain, Yuusuke. Yomi sends Shura to us so that we can protect him  
  
and yet you want to go to Makai and leave us to danger?" Yuusuke clenched his fists in anguish, "How dare they do this when I'm not  
  
around!" he snarled. Shura looked down at the floor, not letting them see his teary eyes, the proof of concern for his father. Yuusuke faced  
  
Keiko, his eyes met with Keiko's, full of worry and concern. He walked to the door and beckoned Keiko, "Kurama and Kuwabara will protect  
  
Shura. I have to go to Makai, for it is partly by responsibility and fault that this has happened." With that, he sprinted out of the door and  
  
vanished from sight in no time. Keiko was overwhelmed by a sense of sorrow, and pride at the same time.  
  
"You have grown up, Yuusuke." "Hanako-chan, don't play around! Come over and help!" A woman wearing a kimono sat by the river, doing some chores. A girl, who looked no  
  
more than eighteen, ran over playfully to her mother and helped carried a small tub of laundry. She headed for a small cave-like house and put  
  
down the laundry, then ran out of the cave to the cliff. She looked at the beautiful snow-white landscape which stretched for quite a distance  
  
and took a deep breath. The peaceful-looking scenery never fails to arouse her feelings and takes the joy out from the inside of her, spreading it  
  
throughout her whole body. Her kimono had obstruct most of her movements but she had been wearing it since she was before a year-old. She  
  
sighed in content as the cold wind blew across her face, but she would have never realised the true world beyond the ice river of the Koorimes. The sound of battle could be heard far off as Yukihana stood at the cliff- top. She looked out and saw a small troop advancing towards the  
  
ice-river and was curious and a little frightened, and for some reason, she felt very apprehensive. She sprinted desperately to her mother, who  
  
was sorting out the laundry in their home, and shouted, "Mother!"  
  
The Koorime woman was taken aback at her daughter's sudden intrusion and glared up, a little annoyed, "Hanako-chan, what is it?"  
  
"There...there are people...heading here!" Yukihana gasped out as she caught her breath frantically as she bent over, leaning her hands on her  
  
knees. The Koorime woman went to the cliff and looked down. Her daughter had been speaking the truth, what she had dreaded it to be.  
  
The troop heading for the ice river gave off strong Youki and the Koorimes gathered together and prepared for the worst, as there was only one  
  
way out, which is to face the intruders. Yukihana had been the youngest Koorime in their country so far, and most probably the only Koorime  
  
child. The rumbling of the advancing troop could be heard. The leader of the troop was leading the rest and welding a sword, he led the rest up  
  
and surrounded the Koorimes. With a cry, the troop suddenly attacked. The Koorimes had no time to ask about their coming and seeing no  
  
choice then to fight, they let out excessive amounts of Youki and lowered the surrounding temperature of the air. Their sudden defence  
  
weakened the youkais and the Koorimes froze a few of them to death. However, they were still no match for the trained fighters. Yukihana's  
  
mother pushed Yukihana out of the way of a blade, which she took upon herself. The blade sliced neatly through her arm and blood gushed out  
  
profusely. Her left hand grasped her right shoulder and tried to stop the flowing of the blood in a fruitless attempt. She lounged at the youkai  
  
and knocked him down with her body and burned all her Youki in a split second. A few youkais around her fell limp on the ground by another  
  
sudden drop of temperature. Yukihana saw her mother drop to the ground, her Kimono covered with blood of her own. Yukihana ran over and  
  
was too shocked to cry. The Koorime woman mumbled to Yukihana as she her body trembled with a tremendous effort to breathe,  
  
"Find...Yuki..na..." Her voice died off as her eyes closed before Yukihana, who had then found her nightmare to become reality.  
  
The words printed deep in her mind as tears started to flow out beyond her control. She looked around and saw that many of her fellow  
  
Koorimes had either died or were dying. The only one standing was her. Only four Youkais were left and they rushed towards her with weapons  
  
in their hands. Yukihana saw no choice but to run. She ran up to the cliff and looked down as the Youkais cornered her.  
  
She backed one more step, then thought about her chances of living.  
  
She had decided her path.  
  
She jumped.  
  
************************************************************************ Author's notes....again (hmm...1725 words only...) Just a note to clear any misunderstandings...  
  
Yukihana IS Hanako.  
  
Yukihana means Snow flower...Hanako is her pet name...it's sounds cute anyway...  
  
*smile* I think I like this chapter...but it took me 5 chapters to include her...under such tragic circumstances...  
  
The time now is close to midnight...and I have school tomorrow...(have to wake up before 6am)  
  
Well, if there's any mistakes or comments you'd like to give, or if you just want to email to me that you read the fic, feel free to do so...^-^  
  
Any questions or queries, please email me too... Domo arigato gozaimasu for Selena-san, for being a good friend and supporter all along,  
  
Hiei-chan for her encouragement, Hime-san for being another supporter and Keiko-chan for leaving me alone when I typed this...^-^;(don't kill  
  
me) and also, thanks to all the readers out there...  
  
Arigato gozaimasu for reading! Kurama (email me at aster@pacific.net.sg)  
  
Chapter 6 Memories "Just in time!" Makoto gasped as she sat on her chair two seconds before the bell went mercilessly as usual. She looked around for her friends  
  
and noticed that her friend, Sasaki Yakumo, was not present. She turned to Sayako and asked, "Sayako-chan, Yakumo-san didn't come today?"  
  
Sayako glanced over to the other end of the classroom, "He isn't here? I just noticed..." Makoto dismissed it as a small matter and took out her  
  
books. Takenaka's attitude to her did not change even after he knew about Makoto and the rest. Makoto felt that Takenaka was an  
  
understanding man, able to realise that Makoto, even though of a Youkai birth, was no different from a human in terms of her emotions and  
  
thinking. Makoto smiled inwardly at this, but her smile soon turned into a frown when she saw that she had left a piece of homework at home.  
  
"That was supposed to be handed in yesterday! I forgot to bring it again!" She scolded herself, but looked at the clock on the classroom wall  
  
above the blackboard.  
  
"Hm...homework's to be handed in after recess...maybe I'll just run home and get it." She thought and lit up again. Their chemistry teacher  
  
soon stepped in and began another boring lecture. Makoto felt sleepy and looked around as the teacher faced the blackboard, and saw that she  
  
was not alone. More than half the class was bored to the verge of dozing off as she was, and the other half was most probably asleep. Sayako  
  
stared at her textbook blankly as her eyes were unwillingly forced opened. "Someone has got to brighten this up...", Makoto thought as she  
  
gave a small yawn. She read the textbook and wrote some notes of her own as the teacher wrote on the blackboard.  
  
"There are four types of matter...light, sound, fire and movement are classified under Energy...I wonder what exactly is fire made of." Makoto  
  
felt an urge to press an answer out of someone, but the chemistry teacher was definitely out of the question. The bell of salvation soon rang,  
  
fully awaking the half-asleep students.  
  
"We'll stop here for today," The teacher announced, "and I'll give you a test tomorrow." This stunned the students as well as earning some  
  
groans and complaints as they went out of the class after bidding good-bye to the teacher. Sayako and Makoto headed straight for the canteen  
  
as Makoto thought about the question, "Maybe I'll ask Touchan or Kaachan." She had forgotten all about her homework. In a nearby shopping complex, "Come on, Shura, you don't expect to wear Makai-style clothes in Ningenkai!" Keiko laughed as Shura gave  
  
another scowl of reluctance. He was wearing a shirt and a pair of Yuusuke's jeans, which was a little loose to him, but had fitted quite well.  
  
Botan had tied up his hair into a pony-tail to make him look neater, since he refused to cut it. Botan was free that day, so she joined Keiko in  
  
their shopping spree. Koenma was still in Reikai, stamping the never-ending stack of documents. Botan also laughed, "Shura-kun, you look just  
  
fine!"  
  
Shura took another set of clothes handed to him by Keiko and went into the fitting room. He looked at himself in the mirror and suddenly  
  
realised how much he resembled his father. He sighed and tried the clothes on. Botan and Keiko pulled Shura into many other shops not just to  
  
look for his clothes as they promised, but practically everything else. Shura ended up carrying most of the shopping bags for them.  
  
"I don't understand humans..." He thought as Botan pulled him into another shop. He had been very childish once, but experience taught  
  
patience. Keiko glanced at Shura and giggled at his expression, which showed annoyance which was enhanced by suppression, yet  
  
unthreatening. Botan noticed it too and declared, "All right, all right, let's stop for today. I think we've had enough of shopping..." "About  
  
time," Shura mumbled inaudibly as he relaxed a little. "Botan-chan, why don't you come over to our house and have a seat? It's not far from  
  
here." Botan nodded enthusiastically as her cheerful smile made Shura felt that she was so innocent, even though she was older than he was.  
  
He followed Keiko and Botan closely as they headed for home. "Phew!" Keiko and Botan panted as they placed their shopping bags on the  
  
table with a clumsy swing. Shura did the same but he was not tired at all, just warm from the heat. Keiko fetched some drinks and offered them a  
  
seat. "Yuusuke's worrying me lately," Keiko brought up as they sipped the ice-cold soft drinks. "I just don't know where else he'll run to."  
  
Botan returned her words with a chortle and added, "Don't worry, Keiko- chan. Yuusuke's S-class, he'll be fine. It'll take a lot to get him pinned  
  
down." Shura took another sip at his drink and thought about it. Yuusuke does have his weak points, and it can be fatal. Keiko quickly changed  
  
the subject and went to take her shopping bags over.  
  
"Shura-kun, come and try this!" Shura gave a whimper of protest, "Not again!" In the Makai... A female youkai gazed dreamily at the night sky of Makai from her comfortable seat on a tall tree. Even Makai can be beautiful at times, but still,  
  
Makai was in disorder. She leaned back and relaxed herself, continued to stare blankly at the empty dark sky. A rustle was heard, and alerted her  
  
pointed ears. She tensed up, but from the footsteps she heard, she knew that the intruder was injured, seriously. She leapt down and saw a girl  
  
on the verge of collapsing, then checked her pulse.  
  
"A Koorime!" She thought immediately upon touching her pulse. Koorimes were known for their 'cut-off' existence from the rest of the Youkai.  
  
"Luckily she had concentrated her Youki to one point, avoiding death when injuries were inflicted on her, but how come she......" Her train of  
  
thoughts were cut off by a soft moan from the Koorime. She carried her on her back and walked hastily to her nearby cave. Yukihana stirred, and winced as the pain got to her. She found that her abdomen and leg were bandaged with some kind of strange Makai  
  
plants. She lay there for a while, unable to move without a sharp pain anywhere. A small ray of light shone in the cave and a female Youkai  
  
approached her. "You're awake," the Youkai smiled as she held a basin of water. The opening of the cave was not big, which helped retain  
  
some heat in. The Youkai slid a hand under Yukihana's neck and supported her up to a sitting position slowly and carefully. Yukihana was  
  
surprised at her gentleness and could not help but to return her smile. The Youkai looked at Yukihana and observed for a while. Yukihana  
  
dropped the smile and almost choked on her tears when images of her clan's death struck her. The Youkai seemed to empathise with her and  
  
gave a sad smile.  
  
"I understand," She whispered and then turned away and went out of the cave, asking no more. It was officially daytime in Makai as light  
  
reached almost every corner of the cave. Yukihana placed her hand over her injuries and started to heal herself. Soon, she was able to move and  
  
speak without much effort. She reached for the basin of water and washed her face and hands, then tidied her tangled hair into a pigtail. Her  
  
Kimono was half tattered from the fall. Some time later, she managed to stand up and walk a few steps. Just then, the female Youkai entered the  
  
cave with some fruits and hunts of the day.  
  
"Sit down, you'd better conserve your energy," She advised in a soft, low voice. Yukihana obeyed and was fairly surprised at the stranger who  
  
showered her with concern. She leaned on the wall of the cave as the Youkai built a fire and tossed her a fruit. "I guess you must be hungry."  
  
Yukihana took it without asking, and examined the fruit for a while before taking a bite. "I am very sorry to have caused you so much  
  
inconvenience. My name is Yukihana, but please call me Hanako. May I know your name?"  
  
The female Youkai glanced at her then turned back to feed the hungry fire, paused for a while and without facing Yukihana, replied faintly,  
  
"Kuroya,".  
  
Yukihana respected the silence for a while as they ate, feeling her body healing slowly and her Youki regaining. Kuroya's long, smooth flowing hair reached her waist as her large black eyes seemed emotionless.  
  
"Tis' a dark night for the Makai, Hanako-san..." She commented as the light shone in, but never reaching a small corner of the cave where  
  
Kuroya stood.  
  
Yukihana nodded sadly as she stood up slowly. "I'm sorry to impose on you, Kuroya-dono, I think I should take my leave." Kuroya did not  
  
flinch as Yukihana dusted herself and walked out of the cave. Just before she left, Kuroya pointed to the east. "There's a gate to Ningenkai."  
  
She did not have to say more. Yukihana walked slowly towards the east as a few tears dropped on the ground, forming some crystal-like  
  
translucent pearls. Each representing one of her kind who had died during the battle. Kuroya leaned on the wall of the cave and slid down  
  
slowly, then sat down and combed her hair as she hummed a sad tune, hoping for peace. Her eyes gazed straight ahead, looking at nothing but  
  
her thoughts. Back in Ningenkai... "Makoto! You forgot your homework again? I want it today, so you'd better run home and get it or you redo it after school." The teacher said  
  
sarcastically.  
  
Makoto thought for a while and replied meekly, "Hai, Sensei. I will bring my homework from home right away."  
  
The bell rang soon, announcing the end of another school day. With that, she picked up her bag and walked out of school in a considerable  
  
pace, which soon broke into a joyful run when the wind became stronger. She laughed to herself as she ran faster and faster. She slowed down  
  
unevenly when her house came in view. She sensed something strange in her house, a familiar feeling. "Yakumo?" She asked as she unlocked  
  
the door with her keys and stepped into the empty house. She slid the bag off her shoulders and treaded around quietly to the source where  
  
she felt it. Something told her it was in her room. A boy sat on a chair beside the window and smiled when he saw her. Makoto was bewildered,  
  
"Yakumo-kun, what are you doing here?" Yakumo just kept quiet and beckoned her to sit down. She fidgeted for a while and sat on the table,  
  
facing Yakumo. Something in her aided her mind and replaced her child-like innocence with a stern and ready-to-kill mind. Yakumo sensed that  
  
but stretched out his hand to Makoto's forehead, running his fingers gently over the scar. Makoto felt peaceful and calmed down, but Yakumo  
  
seemed to be getting the other end of it. He trembled in effort as he concentrated hard.  
  
In Makoto's mind, Yakumo could see a small black figure, who crouched on the invisible floor, his back on Yakumo. "Mako-chan?" He asked.  
  
"Yakumo, you're a psychic. I advise you to get the hell of my mind before you get killed." A low voice warned in a harsh tone.  
  
"Who may you be?" Yakumo continued. "I suggest you to stop, no matter how strong a psychic you are, you are but human. I am Makoto's  
  
soul, her memories which was not forgotten, but hidden."  
  
Suddenly, there was a flash of violet light and Yakumo stumbled back, gasping and panting for breath, his shirt damp with perspiration. Makoto  
  
looked at him coldly as the mind of an experienced Youkai took command for a while, but soon softened down and closed her eyes as images  
  
pieced together. Yakumo supported himself on his hands weakly, but with a sign of satisfaction. Makoto looked at him and pushed his chin up  
  
to face her.  
  
"Thank you." She whispered. Yakumo gave a smile, but his eyes were losing their brightness. He then hung limp and slumped on the ground.  
  
Makoto helped him up and realised that he was slowly but surely dying.  
  
The power of the jagan was something not to be reckoned with.  
  
She phoned Kurama. In less than a minute, Kurama arrived. He was wearing a tie, his hair tied up, without a doubt that he had just came home from helping his  
  
Otosan. He ran to the room and knelt down instantaneously, feeling the pulse of Yakumo, whom Makoto had carried to her bed after phoning  
  
Kurama. Yakumo's pulse beat was weak, his face turning pale and cold. Kurama took out a seed. He crushed the seed in his hand, mixed with  
  
some plant juice and forced it down Yakumo's throat. "I hope this will work..." He mumbled to himself as he observed the results. He then  
  
relaxed when the plants started to take effect, and the blood in Yakumo's veins started to circulate faster and closer to normal.  
  
Kurama's serious glare went to Makoto, who looked down, thoughtful. "Hiei...he's a psychic, but he's human. He'll live, but his powers may  
  
most probably be gone, with quite a portion of his memories due to the medicine I gave him." As Yakumo stirred, Kurama quickly placed his  
  
hand over the body and concentrated, 'absorbing' a sickly violet and yellow light emitted from Yakumo.  
  
Someone taller took Kurama's place, his long silver hair up till his waist. Makoto did not react to that, and noted, "You're getting his power out  
  
of his system, along with the poison."  
  
"Yes," Youko Kurama nodded, and continued, "He has a strong fighting will, but I must get his body rid of the poison that the power of your  
  
jagan and Youki gave to him. The only way is to absorb it, for he cannot expel it."  
  
Youko Kurama stopped as soon as Yakumo started to stir a little. He then went out of the room through the window and vomited some blood  
  
on the grass, a mixture black, violet and red. The grass withered as soon as he blood dripped on them. Kurama wiped his mouth with his shirt  
  
and went back in, his form reverting back to his human form. Makoto looked at the clock, "How do I ever explain this to his parents if they come home?" She sighed for a while, then suddenly realised  
  
something with a shock. "Nuts! I forgot the homework I was supposed to hand in! Now I'm really going to get it from Sensei." She looked at the  
  
clock again, "Maybe he's still in school. She picked up her homework on her table and broke into a run. "That girl..." Kurama smiled as he  
  
picked up two pieces of paper that fell out. He looked at Yakumo, who was breathing more or less normal, sleeping soundly at the same time,  
  
and decided to pick up the papers, running in the same direction Makoto went. Makoto knocked on the door of teacher's room as she panted a little. The teacher glared at her impatiently but accepted her papers. Makoto  
  
quickly checked her papers and discovered that two pieces were missing. She grinned nervously inside, until someone entered the teacher's  
  
room after knocking. "Kurama-chan!" Makoto exclaimed, a little surprised, but relieved when she saw what he was holding. He held out the  
  
papers to her, "Mako-chan, I think you need these." He chuckled. There were not many people in the school now, since most of them had gone  
  
home after school. The teacher took the other two pieces of homework from Makoto and sat down, getting to work. "You may go." "Arigato, Sensei." Makoto responded. She then went off with Kurama. Kurama and Makoto stopped dead in their tracks as they sensed  
  
something. "Youki!" Makoto thought, "Kurama-chan, it's a mile from here, but it is very strong, and is pleading for help." Kurama nodded his  
  
head in comprehension and they flitted out of the school gates to the direction of the north. Yukihana carefully took one step after another, each one more painful than the last. The last words of her mother remained. She was to find  
  
Koorime Yukina. She trudged on, but finally collapsed and sat down on the heath. A temple was in view, which she had somehow felt it's  
  
presence. The Makai gateway was around this area, and she hoped to find a human who could help her. Her frustrated self blamed her weak  
  
legs for not obeying her. Only fifty metres to the temple but she could not do it. She fought back her tears and concentrated her Youki to a  
  
point and using the stored energy, she crawled to the temple. She found herself in a large hall, in which she could sense some Reiki as well as  
  
Youki, her senses telling her that there were presence of people here not long ago. She pulled herself up a chair and leaned hard, panting a little.  
  
Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep from exhaustion. "It came from here!" Makoto pointed excitedly as she ran towards the temple. Kurama followed closely behind, "A Koorime," he said, observing  
  
the earth beneath him, which left faint scent trails. Makoto sensed a bit of Youki. "It's Koorime all right," She confirmed. They ran into the  
  
temple and saw a Koorime girl in a tattered Kimono on a chair, breathing softly. They looked at her smiled at each other as Kurama carried the  
  
Koorime on his back, who was still sleeping sweetly. "Mako-chan," Kurama said softly, trying not to wake the girl on his back, "Looks like  
  
she'll have to take the master bed."  
  
Makoto gave a warm chuckle as her eyes lit up. "Ha! I wonder how Touchan will react if he saw these two. Kaasan is still out with Touchan...,  
  
'dating'," Makoto stressed on the word 'dating', and gave another laugh. She tip-toed lightly into her own bedroom and saw Yakumo still  
  
asleep. Kurama put down the girl and put his hand on the girl's forehead and pulse.  
  
"She's all right, just over-exerted herself a little,". He turned around but Makoto was not there. He smiled again and went over to where the  
  
other 'guest' was sleeping and saw Makoto kneeling beside the bed.  
  
"What will I do with all these memories?" She said sadly, almost close to despair.  
  
Kurama stood at the doorway leaned on the frame. "Mako-chan, come with me...I think it's time we had a little talk." Makoto nodded, close to crying. She looked longingly at Yakumo as she grasped Kurama's hand tightly. Kurama took her to the forest near the  
  
temple.  
  
"Those two won't wake up that fast. I already gave them some medicine. They'll sleep for another three hours." He answered without looking at  
  
Makoto, reading her thoughts. He then headed to a tall tree with strong branches and climbed up effortlessly. Makoto followed suit and they  
  
looked around at the greenery that stretched for a long way off from their vantage view. The blending greens calmed down Makoto and she  
  
soon found herself snuggling against Kurama. He sat there, leaning on the strong branch connected directly from the trunk. He let Makoto do  
  
what she wanted and relaxed. This had used to be one of Hiei's favourite pastimes when he was troubled or just plain tired. The wind blew  
  
gently yet steadily, rising and falling gradually, acting like a lullaby. The memories of the past were not forgotten, but they can be conquered.  
  
Makoto found herself getting drowsy and soon, both of them were asleep, the plants on the tree entwining protectively around the two. **************************************************************************** ********* Some Complaints and mutterings... Chapter 6 done......  
  
....hmm...now's 11.40pm.... not too late...except that I have school tomorrow... must wake at 5.30am....  
  
*sigh* I think I'm getting used to going without sleep.....  
  
A mental note to myself..."This is not Yaoi...this is not yaoi..."  
  
The Yaoi stuff is really getting to my head...though I will not write any...for the time being.  
  
3363 words....I did a count...for this chapter...  
  
Katherine-san's fic, Songs of Innocence and Experience, was over 20,000 words....  
  
*phew!* Well, better post this and go to sleep...  
  
got a Chinese and a chemistry test tomorrow... *yawn*  
  
Good luck to all fanfic writers out there....please give me your comments... Domo arigato, Kurama  
  
Side poem: - Thoughts --Makoto Loved by everyone around me  
  
I feel so fortunate.  
  
My father, my mother,  
  
my friends.  
  
They were always there for me. My inner mind  
  
My former memories  
  
Spins like a vortex  
  
and surface to my conscience.  
  
Spiralling to a dot  
  
in the depth of my heart.  
  
I now know my true self. My soul is merging,  
  
melting and casting with knowledge.  
  
Breaking the glass that was between.  
  
The present and the past. Memories I never knew I had. Yet there was one thing which I never had,  
  
in the forgotten past.  
  
The love I had never dreamed of,  
  
is now out there.  
  
Caressing me like the summer wind. I stand unsteadily,  
  
leaning on the rails.  
  
Overlooking the waters of swaying emerald.  
  
People come and go like shadows,  
  
I am faceless among them. The love that was showered upon me,  
  
their blood infused with mine.  
  
Brought out my guilt,  
  
that was hidden.  
  
A long time ago  
  
A time I could not remember.  
  
I had taken their love for granted.  
  
Only realising it now. I smile at my reflection  
  
and reach out for the horizon.  
  
The railings obstruct me,  
  
making me realise.  
  
I cannot cross. The water glimmers,  
  
pretty ripples in the sea,  
  
the gentle sunset shining upon.  
  
I want to touch the waters,  
  
to go beyond my counterpart.  
  
What am I?  
  
Of truth,  
  
sincerity and faithfulness.  
  
Which have I accomplished? I know that if I dip the waters,  
  
my reflection will shimmer.  
  
My moral is shaken,  
  
like the willows in the breeze. I cannot repay them,  
  
instead I have to lie.  
  
Can anyone understand? I sit and stare,  
  
at the sparkling light,  
  
rebounded by the green sea waters.  
  
I see nothing in front of me,  
  
a pitch dark night-like place.  
  
A dove-like creature of magnificent white,  
  
soars and swoops  
  
more daring than a falcon.  
  
It skims low and touched the surface  
  
of the water which emerged from nowhere.  
  
The crystal green mirror breaks  
  
into tiny ripples.  
  
It shatters.  
  
My reflection in a million pieces.  
  
Can I ever retrieve it back? My closed eyes now,  
  
facing the wind.  
  
The sun has gone to sleep,  
  
the moon now shines.  
  
I look to the past no longer,  
  
the present unimportant.  
  
For the future has yet to come. I will wait.  
  
Chapter 7 Kuroya Yuusuke dried himself with a towel as soon as he reached his castle from an unpredictable Makai rainstorm. He mumbled some curses as a few  
  
of his followers came out and received him warmly, and getting a room ready. Soon after he got himself presentable, he headed to the meeting  
  
room, where they gave him an outline of the problem Makai was facing recently. Along the explanation, Yuusuke cursed a considerable number  
  
of times. Yomi and Mukuro have been fighting hard to keep Makai from falling apart, but it seems that even they themselves are tiring out,  
  
slowly but surely. A Youkai by the name of Kizoato gave him the details of the destroyed areas. "Makai can repair itself quickly, but the  
  
continuous damage it has suffered makes it difficult, Urameshi-sama."  
  
Yuusuke pounded his fist on the table, which almost broke under his force and said calmly, looking at Kizoato. "I'm going to see this for  
  
myself." His fellow Youkais could do nothing much but to stare at him. "Well, if no one is coming, I'll go there myself!" Yuusuke said, with a bit  
  
of sarcasm in it. Kizoato stood up and faced Yuusuke, "I'll come with you, for I know the way to these places." He held out a map made of some  
  
kind of cloth-like material, which he rolled it into a scroll. Yuusuke gave him a hearted grin, a pat on the shoulder and shouted, "Ikuyo ze!" as he  
  
sprinted out of the castle walls with Kizoato following closely behind.  
  
"Urameshi-sama, I can feel the Youki of the S-class Youkais in there." He pointed in a vague direction at the forest. They looked at each other in  
  
mutual agreement and understanding for a flicker of a second and continued to run to the direction of the trees. Kuroya was on a tall, sturdy tree as usual. She had grown the tree from a seedling, accompanied it with care, talked to it, and treated it as a  
  
friend. Her memories were told to it, but it never replied, but she never expected it to reply anyway. She knew that the problem in Makai was  
  
getting worse. Kuroya could not resist the urge to join in the fight for peace, especially after Yukihana's short visit, which penetrated her  
  
uncaring outer shell and luring her true self out. A scent of S-class Youkais hit her nose sharply, as she hid her own Youki within herself, to  
  
prevent being discovered. The Youkais could not be far off. She did a quick mental count. There were only two. One was very strong. Perhaps  
  
she could do peaceful greeting and infiltrate as a weak Youkai and gather information. She tied up her hair messily and walked casually and  
  
fearless to the direction of the scent. There was nothing to lose.  
  
When she approached, she sensed new Youki from the direction she was walking to. "Another group?" She thought as she did another mental  
  
calculation. Very risky, but she may be able to get the first two. She walked up hastily and looked down on the forest floor, her cape covering  
  
most of her face. She bumped into Yuusuke and acted awkwardly, hiding her Youki cautiously and trying to show she was of a low class. "I'm  
  
very sorry," She mumbled as she did a small bow to Yuusuke. Kizoato was a little apprehensive and whispered to Yuusuke to be careful.  
  
Yuusuke replied gruffly, "It's okay." and brushed past her, walking ahead to the direction of the Youki. Kuroya did a quick mental scan of  
  
Yuusuke, making him twinge a bit. She found out his intentions and walked straight up to him, "I want to join you."  
  
Kizoato looked at her strangely and asked, "What? Are you out of your mind?"  
  
Kuroya fixed her gaze at Yuusuke, "I know you, Yuusuke Urameshi, son of Reizen." Yuusuke stared at her, though understanding what she was  
  
indicating, but felt her mind probing a bit into his, sending a faint picture of the war that ended not long ago by the three countries. "Let me join you, for I am also a Peace-seeker." Kuroya said gently, looking straight into Yuusuke's eyes as her cape fell to her neck, exposing  
  
her gentle, fair face.  
  
"Urameshi-sama!" Kizoato hissed a low growl.  
  
"I believe her," Yuusuke announced, "You are welcome to join us, Kuroya, but you must be aware of the dangers you are facing, especially for  
  
a Youkai of your class."  
  
"Those eyes..." Yuusuke thought silently as they trudged on, "those eyes are like those of Kurama's when he pleaded me to help his  
  
mother...so trusting..." Kuroya smiled in gratitude but tensed up as they felt Youkai approaching. Yuusuke beckoned them to hide their Youki  
  
and they clambered up the trees, getting ready for an ambush if necessary. A small band of Youkai came into view. Yuusuke did a calculation.  
  
"This may be a little risky, for we've got a low-class Youkai on our side." Yuusuke thought as he took a swift glance over to the tree where  
  
Kuroya was on. Kizoato observed the Youkais and did some calculations. "Damn! This is pretty risky." He hissed to himself. Yuusuke gave a  
  
silent signal followed by a shout, "NOW!" which startled the small band of Youkais. Before they could look up, one of them was already  
  
rendered motionless by Yuusuke, who wasted no time in attacking. "Great, now it leaves us one each.", Yuusuke thought smugly as he took on  
  
the 'leader' of the small group, a S-class Youkai, but Yuusuke estimated as 'not his match'. Kizoato took on the Youkai with a blue horn. He  
  
glared at the Youkai and decided to see if he could get any information out of the Youkai. The Youkai just gave him a stern, wry smile as  
  
Kizoato gave him a head-on punch, which the Youkai avoided easily. Kizoato then took out a small short stick about the length of his palm from  
  
his side pocket, as he demanded , "Why are you doing this to us? What business do you have here?" The Youkai gave a snigger and raised his  
  
hand stealthily, holding an axe, a weapon of his choice. He replied in a soft yet cutting tone, "Our lord has plans to unify Makai." Kizoato  
  
smirked, "Unify? Destroy as a piece, I say!" He spitted on the ground hard to show his repulsion, then extended his stick into a staff of blue  
  
energy, with spikes on the rounded top. The Youkai did not wait. He struck, hard. Kuroya faced another Youkai. "He's pretty strong, but I'll outdo him yet." She thought as her bare hands glowed with light, her Youki rising  
  
rapidly and steadily. The Youkai took out a sword and struck straight down above Kuroya's head. Kuroya held out one of her glowing hand  
  
and caught the blade neatly with two fingers. She exerted some pressure and the blade snapped into half. Before the Youkai could react, she  
  
gave a few deadly punches which sent him flying up a tree, stranded up there, unmoving. Kuroya looked at her hands, which were glowing  
  
more brightly. The Youkai have a considerable amount of Youki, which she sucked into her own body when she with her fist connected to the  
  
Youkai's abdomen. She then darted over to Yuusuke, who just finished off his share with a Rei-gun. Yuusuke now sensed the strong Youki that  
  
hung around Kuroya. She just ignored his reactions and watched Kizoato.  
  
Kizoato was fighting with some difficulty, covered with some skin-deep wounds. The Youkai swung the axe at a low angled-arc which Kizoato  
  
avoided, falling straight into the Youkai's trap. The Youkai swung the axe around and circled it down vertically aiming to split Kizoato into half.  
  
Kizoato blocked the coming blow with his staff. Kuroya and Yuusuke felt the urge to help, but they knew a Youkai's pride is as valued as his  
  
life. Kizoato strained under the weight and pressure thrust upon him. He reached deep within himself to find his reserve of powers. Being  
  
desperate, he grabbed the energy within him tight, and pushed the axe off his staff with a sudden burst. His staff started to illuminate and his  
  
eyes turned into a blood-red colour. He pointed the staff at the Youkai and gathered all his energy at the round end of the staff. A big ball of  
  
energy flew from his staff and homed in to the Youkai, who tried to block it off as he was not in a favourable position to dodge the oncoming  
  
blow. The ball of energy burned through the Youkai's axe and touched him. The Youkai screamed in agony as the radiant sphere burnt his  
  
whole body, consuming it up with hellfire. In only a second, white, powdery ashes scattered everywhere, blown all over the place. Kizoato  
  
collapsed on his knees and panted. He knew he did not have much Youki left. Kuroya walked over casually and helped him up. Yuusuke took  
  
the hint and followed, holding on Kizoato and slinging his arm over his own shoulder. Kuroya warned Yuusuke to lower their Youki lest they  
  
were discovered.  
  
"I found this on the Youkai I fought." Kuroya said as she held out a map to Yuusuke with her free hand. "Let us go back to the castle and look  
  
into this," Yuusuke said as he looked at the weak Kizoato. "Those S-class Youkais, although the lower class of S, they still pack quite a punch."  
  
He muttered, audible enough for Kizoato and Kuroya's sake. "Nanda koitsu?!" Kuwabara yelped as he entered the room with Yukina, seeing an unexpected stranger. He stepped closer and found that it  
  
was a boy, and recognised it as one of Makoto's classmates. Yukina also stepped closer and observed for a while, then sniffed the air around  
  
he boy's face. "He has eaten some Makai plants." She noted. Kuwabara looked astonished as he looked out to his own room, seeing a girl on it.  
  
Yukina's eyes also widened. Then she tugged out a slip of paper under the vase on the dining table and read it aloud, for Kuwabara's benefit, "Touchan and Kaachan, I'm leaving these two in the house, who are harmless after eating those Makai medicine.  
  
Please do not worry, I'm going out with Kurama-chan.  
  
From Makoto." Kuwabara sank down into the couch, in which Yukina followed suit. Yukina looked up at the clock which hung conspicuously on the white wall  
  
opposite them.  
  
Kuwabara smiled shyly at Yukina as she chuckled her usual sweet, gracious smile.  
  
They then kissed. Makoto woke slightly and did a somersault out of the tree, which Kurama had not anticipated. He fell off but did a graceful flip in mid-air, his  
  
landing a little unstable. "Let's go." Makoto murmured seriously. Kurama put a hand round her shoulder, "If you don't want to say anything, I  
  
can understand." He said as they walked out of the forest behind the temple at a moderate pace. Makoto suddenly burst into laughter, which  
  
surprised Kurama. Makoto's laughter was bitter, but the bitterness faded away into the laughter and dissolved in the air. She spread out her  
  
arms as Kurama still held on to her. "Thank you, Kurama...I feel a lot better now." Kurama gave a short laugh.  
  
"Hiei's memories didn't do much change to Makoto's open-mindedness." He said to himself silently. Sparkles of light returned to her eyes as  
  
she held her Hirui-seki.  
  
"Who would know that I would end up being my sister's daughter?" She joked light-heartedly as she held Kurama's hand tightly and skipped  
  
joyfully, having her memories back in her possession. Kurama kept his silence as he joined in her joy and walked with a rhythm in their steps. "Tadaima!" Makoto shouted as soon as she opened the front door. Her still child-like behaviour had always kept Kurama amused.  
  
"Just how much innocence does she have?" She entered, but there was no one. She saw a note stuck on the refrigerator with a little button  
  
magnet. It read: "Mako-chan, Kaachan and I are going over to Urameshi's to look for Shura.  
  
Those two people are your friends? Take good care of them, and say hi to them for me. Lots of love,  
  
Touchan" Makoto sniggered at the note Kuwabara left behind. Yakumo and that Koorime girl should wake anytime now. Kurama sat on Makoto's study  
  
chair and waited patiently for Yakumo to wake. He stirred and opened his eyes forcefully, his eyes starting to focus on the two faces in front of  
  
him. Makoto grinned at him and asked, "Hey, Yakumo-kun, are you all right?" Yakumo sat up supported by Kurama's strong hands, and smiled  
  
back.  
  
"Where am I?" He asked, looking around, puzzled.  
  
"You're in my room, you really don't remember?" Makoto-chan, what are you talking about? Remember what?" Makoto looked up at Kurama  
  
from her seat on the floor, "Kurama-chan, he really lost his memories as a psychic?"  
  
Kurama just nodded solemnly, "That would be better for him, since he's only human."  
  
Makoto's felt her heart twinge a little as the sentence struck her. Makoto stood up. "C'mon, Yakumo-kun, I accompany you home." Yakumo  
  
clambered out of bed and accepted Makoto's offer gratefully.  
  
Kurama also stood up and headed for the master bedroom, "I'll take care of her," He signalled to Makoto with a casual wave of his hand as she  
  
walked off with Yakumo. Yukihana was already fully awake and sitting up on the bed when Kurama entered the room. She smiled and took a small bow. "Domo arigato  
  
gozaimasu. I shan't impose on you any longer."  
  
Kurama noticed her pale face and decided to be more hospitable. "Why don't you stay and have a cup of tea?"  
  
Yukihana could not reject the offer for she was tired and weak, even though she had slept for a few hours. As she took a sip of rich milk tea, she  
  
introduced herself. Kurama listened with interest as she told her story.  
  
"...then I just found myself here when I woke up." Her eyes brimmed with tears as she forced a smile to show her gratitude. Kurama returned  
  
her smile and suggested, "Hanako-chan, I think you can stay here, the owner would certainly not mind." Yukihana blushed a bit but got ready  
  
to leave, but was stopped by Kurama. "I know where Yukina is." He said sternly, winning a look of bewilderment from Yukihana. She gave a  
  
gasp of surprise as well as indescribable joy and hugged Kurama. The unexpected reaction from her got a gust of air out of Kurama. She started  
  
crying again but stopped abruptly and asked, "You know Yukina-sama? Where is she?" Kurama beckoned her to sit down and replied, "You are  
  
now in Yukina-san's house." Yukihana beamed with excitement and pure relief, assured of Yukina's appearance later in the evening. Shuuchi stared at his textbook blankly. His elder half-brother had taken lessons while working. He twirled his pen skilfully around his fingers as  
  
his half-written essay stayed incomplete. He put down his pen and held the piece of writing to eye level, the title of his essay, "The Person I  
  
Admire Most".  
  
He did not know whether the essay would have a conclusion. He moved his chair to the window and pulled the curtains together. A knock on  
  
his bedroom door jolted him out his chair and his thoughts. He opened the door and asked, "Yes, Kaasan?"  
  
"Dinner's ready," She said, paused for a while, and continued, "by the way, have you seen your Oniisan?" Shuuichi just shook his head, but he  
  
felt a need to assure her, "Kaasan, Oniisan told me that he went out with some friends and may be late for dinner." He made up the excuse as  
  
soon he stepped out of his room and took Shiori's hand, and lead her to the dining table. Just as they sat down, the doorbell rang. Shiori hastily took off her apron and unlatched the door.  
  
"Shuuichi! You're just in time for dinner. Look at you! What happened?" She commented worriedly as she saw some soil and reddish stains on  
  
his shirt. Kurama dismissed it with a smile and pushed her back to the dining table, where the head of the family came out of the bathroom and  
  
sat down beside Shuuichi. Kurama could feel that he was not very happy, but what? He offered Shiori to sit down by pulling out a chair before  
  
he himself was seated. His little acts of politeness often aroused a look of dissatisfaction from his Otousan. Kurama decided to excuse himself  
  
from the dining table, saying that he needed a bath. Shiori looked at her husband and just gave a small, submissive sigh. Shuuichi decided to speak up for his brother. "Tousan, what has Oniisan  
  
done wrong?" He asked meekly, trying to avoid a harsh conflict. The middle- aged man swallowed a mouthful of food and suppressed his urge  
  
to speak in a scolding tone. "Your brother is fine," he blurted, and suddenly asked in a quieter tone, "We'll have a family meeting later." Shiori  
  
kept her silence and waited till dinner was over and tidied the table as Kurama came out and took his dinner. ************************************************************************ Some ramblings.... Writing fics are so much fun....and I haven't come to the exciting part yet....it's a long way off...  
  
but I'm trying to get to it....  
  
I need comments about the character development, and I'm trying to hold a vote for the characters I came up with  
  
....votes?  
  
Anyway, it's now 11.20pm now...and I got to wake at 5.30 in the morning tomorrow...  
  
*yawn* well, hopefully I can get chapter 8 done quickly... Oh yes....I thought of something that might go well with the fic...just came up with it and put it in the mail  
  
...maybe I should put it here as well... Anyway, all rights reserved by their respective owners...except for the characters which are my own creation..... ---Kurama, who is sleepily checking the email at 11.30pm...  
  
Side poem: - Kuroya's wish A moment of serenity, tranquillity,  
  
of the natural silence that engulfs my soul.  
  
The beauty, the calmness, the perfection around,  
  
The trees and plants, entwine my heart,  
  
my friends, my guardians, my home. The starry, starry night of home. Crickets enhanced the night as they stride,  
  
a little humming, low and joyous. My troubles, my cares, flies away with the wind.  
  
My longing, for a gem, a precious treasure,  
  
I hoped, since my sixteenth traverse 'round the sun,  
  
for the greatest pearl of the sea bed hidden,  
  
peace. I long for peace... 


	4. Confessions

Chapter 3 Shura  
  
"Wha..What?" Yuusuke exclaimed as the boy fell at his feet. He rushed over and picked the boy up and looking at his half set-up ramen stall, he decided to shut it down and bring the boy to his home. He could feel the boy's youki, proving the boy to be definitely not human. Yuusuke muttered some curses as he carried the boy home easily. Atsuko was not at home, "Must be out with her boyfriend," He thought as he lay the boy on his bed. "The boy looked familiar," Yuusuke thought. He saw a horn-like thing on the boy's forehead and looked carefully at the boy's face. "Matte yo!" Yuusuke exclaimed to himself, "Isn't this Shura?" The boy was unconscious but alive, still strong, Yuusuke felt the strong potential yet raw power from him.  
  
A few hours later...  
  
The boy stirred slowly and clumsily. Yuusuke sat at the bedside and watched him intently, thinking of Shura's reaction when he saw Yuusuke. Shura's ebony hair had grown to caress his shoulders, straight and silky. He opened his eyes and squinted a little as the sun shone in brightly from the window directly opposite the bed. He saw a face smiling curiously at him and sat up quickly, his mind ready to prepare for a fight. "Urameshi Yuusuke? Where am I?" Shura demanded as he let his defences down. His pointed ears twitched a little as his gaze met Yuusuke's. Yuusuke saw a glint of desperation in Shura and pulled himself closer to the bed. "Well, you're in my room. You fell at my ramen stall this morning and I don't know why I had to care about Yomi's damn kid." Yuusuke said sarcastically. Shura looked down at the blankets on the bed and mumbled, "Sorry..." as a tear fell from his eye. He got up and stood unevenly and walked slowly to the door. Yuusuke stared at him as he suddenly slumped on the ground before he could even open the door. "Here we go again..."Yuusuke complained as he carried the unconscious Shura back to the bed. "Mako-chan, try to behave when you're there." Kuwabara reminded as he sat behind the steering wheel. "Hai! Touchan!" Makoto replied eagerly. "Mako-chan, there's a teacher by the name of Takenaka, who is going to be your teacher...what a coincidence. He used to teach me six years ago, you know." "Really?" Makoto asked excitedly as she leaned forward from the back seat, clutching her school bag. "I can't fetch you to school everyday, besides, the school isn't very far. You can easily run there in about five minutes." Kuwabara reminded once more. As they got off the car, Kuwabara smiled and said, "Remember, Mako- chan...behave!" Makoto laughed and ran off, her psychic senses leading her to her class. "Class, there is a new student joining us, can you introduce yourself, Kuwabara-san?" Takenaka sensei announced in front of the class. Makoto stood in front of the class energetically, "Hai! Sensei!" She then faced the class. "Konnichiwa minna-san, my name is Kuwabara Makoto. This is the first time I've ever been to school, so I'll need your help." Makoto bowed politely as Takenaka sensei guided her to her seat. She was a little uneasy, and looked left and right. Her school uniform was comfortable enough, but the scarf tied around her neck with a bow in front made her felt as if she was lowering her head to it, hiding her pride. She fingered it a little, trying to figure some way of breaking the tension. The teacher then started the lesson. After two hours of sitting completely still, the bell rang, indicating lunch break, to the students' relief.Makoto stood up and stretched a bit, a sore from sitting so long in a position and walked over to a girl sitting to her right. "Is school always like that?" She asked inquisitively. The girl looked at her, amazed at her ignorance for a moment, and replied, "Yes...but there's physical education...you mean you really never been to school before?" It was now Makoto's turn to be puzzled. "Gomen, I forgot to ask for your name..." "I'm Tanaka Sayako, pleased to meet you, Kuwabara-san,"  
  
"Call me Mako, everyone does..." "Okay...Mako-chan, are you in anyway related to Kuwabara Kazuma? I heard he was rather famous in this school, a ex-delinquent who somehow got into High School..." "Touchan? He used to tell me about his schooldays with Yuusuke-chan." "NANI!? He's your father?" Sayako exclaimed as they made their way to the canteen. Makoto nodded innocently. Sayako could not believe her ears. "How can he have such a big daughter? I mean, how old are you and how old is he?" Sayako inquired. Makoto replied, "How is that not possible? He's twenty-one already. I'm three." Sayako chuckled, "Don't let the joke go too far, Mako-chan." Makoto just kept quiet, remembering Kuwabara's repetitive reminders not to be rude, for he explained to her that if she mentioned her parentage  
  
and birth, which people may not believe. She stuck a spoonful of rice in her mouth and kept silent. She finished her food quickly and walked back to her classroom, with a whole fifteen minutes to spare. Takenaka-sensei was still in the classroom. There was no one else, Makoto noted. The aged teacher beckoned Makoto to come over and sit at his table. "Can I talk to you for a moment, Kuwabara?" Makoto smiled and nodded, as she placed a chair opposite the teacher's table and sat down gracefully, trying to create a good impression. "Yes, sensei?" "I heard you have no other school records, but an ex-student called Urameshi Yuusuke managed to get you in here by some 'means'. Your father is by the name of Kuwabara Kazuma, an ex- student here. I'm just curious about how he had a daughter this age." Makoto squirmed a little in her seat. "Sensei, will you believe what I tell you?" "Go ahead," the man offered. "Well, I'm three years old, daughter of Rei-ken user Kuwabara Kazuma and Koorime Yukina." Takenaka swallowed hard for a while, but stabled himself. "I've heard of Yuusuke and Kuwabara being 'special', but not to this extent. You mean you are only three?" Makoto nodded lamely. Takenaka hesitated for a while, and came to a conclusion, "I think I'll pay your family a visit, is it fine, Makoto? I think I  
  
need to understand your family background more." Makoto smiled for she had found someone who did not totally disbelieve her. Five minutes before the bell rang, students streamed into the classroom. Makoto went back to her seat and sighed, thinking of the next three hours she had to endure later. Some students approached her  
  
after school and they started chatting. From the corner of her eye, Makoto saw a boy sitting in a corner by himself. He was silent throughout the day, but he seemed thoughtful but not lonely. Makoto walked over and sat on the table beside him as the rest of the students left the classroom. They sat there, looking at each other wordlessly, yet their eyes communicated with each other. "Quite a strong reiki," Makoto thought as she used her psychic powers to test the boy's psychic ability. They remained quiet for a few minutes before the boy finally opened his mouth, "Yoroshiku, Makoto-san, my name is Sasaki Yakumo." He smiled softly, reminding Makoto of Kurama unknowingly. She smiled back and stated, "You have pretty strong reiki for a human..." She glanced at her watch and picked up her bag quickly, "I've gotta go, Yakumo-san, ja mata!" Yakumo waved at her, acknowledging her leaving as he remained in thought for a while before picking up his satchel and stepping out of the class. "YUUSUKE! What is this boy doing in our room?" Keiko shouted at Yuusuke as she saw the sleeping boy lying on her bed. Yuusuke hushed her immediately when he heard the volume her voice went to. Shura stirred as the noise hit him and sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes and letting out a yawn. He then looked at Yuusuke and Keiko sleepily and mumbled weakly, "I'm hungry...". Yuusuke then explained to Keiko, "He's Yomi's son, you know, Yomi, the one I fought with for more than sixty hours during the Makai tournament..." "What!?" Keiko gasped aloud then quickly regained her composure. She looked thoughtful for a while, absorbing the fact. "I see..." She mumbled to Yuusuke. They looked at Shura for a while as Shura sat uneasily. His stomach suddenly gave a growl which changed the atmosphere. "I'll get a bowl of ramen," Yuusuke offered. Keiko then waited patiently for Shura to finish eating before asking him any questions. Keiko and Yuusuke left Shura alone to eat while they did some household chores. "Yuusuke-chan! It's your turn to wash the dishes today!" Keiko said aloud as she slumped down on the sofa, tired out from mopping the floor. Yuusuke grumbled as he went to the kitchen and got to work. Keiko went to the dining room and saw an empty bowl on the table. Shura's head lay on the table with his hands by the side, dangling limply. Keiko ran over and looked at him, but found that he was only sleeping. His eyes fluttered a bit as he mouthed the word, "Father" over and over again. "Must be dreaming," Keiko thought. She sighed as she carried the sleeping boy to the bedroom. "Sleep well, Shura, for you have a lot of explaining to do tomorrow." Naomi-chan's jabbering...um...notes This is life...typing the fic on a day...at 12 midnight...with a mug of hot chinese tea and music from  
  
Vampire Princess Miyu...  
  
This chapter's a little short...but it seemed appropriate to cut off here...  
  
Well, as I've said, this is my first attempt on a fic...  
  
Maybe I'll introduce myself a little...I'm a 14 year-old YYH fan from Singapore...  
  
sigh must go back to school and study...  
  
I want to thank xXMidori-ChanXx for all her help once more...  
  
DOMO ARIGATO GOZAIMASU!  
  
Please tell me how the story is...I'm desperate for comments...  
  
Any suggestions about character development or jokes or tragic scenes...or even criticisms are welcome...this author's notes are real long...  
  
phew my work may be slowed down due to school...  
  
Sumaimasen minna-san-  
  
you can also email xXMidori-ChanXx if you are a YYH fan or looking for a YYH friend...  
  
I'm at the YYH chat as Kurama...hope to see someone there... Arigato to all who managed to finish this chapter without falling asleep...  
  
"Yawn..." Better sleep...it's 4 am in the morning...  
  
Ja mata! (hmm...1771 words...) 


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